UC-NRLF 


$B  Et.fi  mo 


J 


CHURCH  HISTORY 


OF 


NEW    ENGLAND, 


1620  TO   1804. 


CONTAINING 

A  VIEW  OF   THE   PRINCIPLES  AND  PRACTICE.    DECLENSIONS 

AND  REVIVAL-!,  OPPRESSION  AND  LIBERTY  OF  THE 

CHURCHES,  AND  A  CHRONOLOGICAL  TABLE. 


BY  ISAAC  BACKUS,  A.  M. 


WITH    A    MEMOIR    OF    THE     AUTHOR. 


PUBLISHED    BY    THE 
AMERICAN  BAPTIST   PUBLICATION  AND  S.  S.  SOCIETY, 

NO.    21     SOUTH    FOURTH    STREET. 

1844 


ifii 


The  annexed  Memoir  has  been  carefully  compiled  for  this  volume,  from 
the  American  Baptist  Magazine— the  second  volume  of  Benedict's  History— 
the  writings  of  Backus,  and  such  verbal  recollections  of  him,  as  the  writer 
has  been  able  to  secure.  It  is  hoped  that  it  may  give  increased  interest  to 
the  perusal  of  his  history ;  while  it  will  by  no  means  supersede  the  neces- 
sity and  the  desire  for  a  more  complete  and  elaborate  "Life  of  Backus,*' 
which  one  of  his  distinguished  friends,  who  can  have  ready  access  to  hia 
extensive  diary,  and  the  scenes  of  his  protracted  labours,  has  promised  to 
prepare,  for  our  "  Biographical  Series." 


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■ 

King 

and  Baird, 

Printers, 

No.  9,  George 

street, 

Philadelphia. 

MEMOIR. 


Isaac  Backus  was  born  in  Norwich,  Connecticut, 
January  9th,  1724.  His  parents  were  pious  and  respect- 
able members  of  the  Pedobaptist  church  in  that  town. 
His  father  was  a  descendant  of  one  of  the  first  families  in 
the  settlement  of  Norwich  ;  and  his  mother's  pedigree  is 
traced  back  to  the  family  of  Winslows,  who  came  to  Ply- 
mouth with  the  first  European  emigrants  to  this  country, 
in  1620.  At  the  time  when  the  celebrated  Whitefield 
preached  with  such  signal  success  in  that  vicinity,  some 
of  Mr.  Backus's  connexions  united  with  the  Separates ^-^ 
a  name  given  to  several  independent  churches  formed 
about  this  period,  of  a  more  zealous  and  spiritual  character 
than  the  Associate  Pedobaptist  churches,  which  then  and 
long  after  claimed  to  be  the  standing  order,  or  churches 
established  by  law.  For  uniting  with  these,  they  were 
harrassed  and  persecuted  by  the  ruling  party.  The  mo- 
ther of, young  Backus,  when  a  widow,  with  some  other 
of  his  relations  were  cast  into  prison,  by  these  persecuting 
zealots,  solely  for  exercising  their  conscientious  convic- 
tions, in  uniting  with  those  churches  which  were  not  es- 
tablished by  law.  It  was  in  the  midst  of  this  excitement, 
that  the  subject  of  this  memoir  was  brought  to  the  know- 
ledge of  the  truth,  in  the  18th  year  of  his  age.  He 
furnishes  the  following  simple  and  striking  account  of  his 
conversion. 

"  My  being  bom  of  religious  parents,  and  having  a  re- 
ligious (though  not  what  is  called  a  liberal)  education,  I 
have  ever  esteemed  an  unspeakable  favour.  Yet  I 
neglected  the  great  salvation  for  more  than  seventeen 
years,  because  of  the  secret  imagination  that  it  would 
abridge  my  present  liberty  and  comfort ;  and  also,  that 
when  I  should  in  good  earnest  set  about  the  work,  God 
would  be  moved  to  help,  pardon,  and  save  me.     But  in 

3 


M109760 


4  MEMOIR    OF    THE    AUTHOR. 

May,  1741,  my  eyes  were  opened  to  see  that  time  was 
not  at  my  command,  and  that  eternity  was  directly  before 
me,  into  which  I  might  justly  be  called  the  next  moment. 
Then  I  knew  what  it  was  to  work  for  my  life  for  three 
months :  until  on  August  24,  as  I  was  alone  in  the  field, 
it  was  demonstrated  to  my  mind  and  conscience,  that  I 
had  done  my  utmost  to  make  myself  better,  without  ob- 
taining any  such  thing ;  and  that  I  was  a  guilty  sinner  in 
the  hands  of  a  holy  God,  who  had  a  right  to  do  with  me 
as  seemed  good  in  his  sight ;  which  I  then  yielded  to, 
and  all  my  objections  were  silenced.  And  soon  upon 
this,  a  way  of  relief  was  opened  to  my  soul,  which  I  had 
never  any  true  idea  of  before,  wherein  truth  and  justice 
shine  with  lustre  in  the  bestowment  of  free  mercy  and 
salvation  upon  objects  who  have  nothing  in  themselves 
but  badness.  And  while  this  divine  glory  engaged  all  my 
attention,  my  burden  of  guilt,  and  evil  dispositions  was 
gone,  and  such  ideas  and  inclinations  were  implanted  in 
my  heart,  as  were  never  there  before,  but  which  have 
never  been  rooted  out  since,  though  often  overclouded." 

Soon  after  this  change,  he  united  with  the  Pedobap- 
tist  church  in  his  native  town,  where  he  had  been  accus- 
tomed to  attend  worship  ;  but  after  about  two  years,  some 
troubles  in  that  church  led  to  his  withdrawal  from  it.  It 
was  not  until  September,  1746,  that  he  entered  upon  the 
duties  of  the  Christian  ministry  ;  and  the  principles  which 
governed  him  in  this  important  step  are  described  in  his 
discourse,  published  eight  years  after,  entitled  "7%c  Na- 
ture and  Necessity  of  an  Internal  Call  to  preach  the 
Gospel'' 

Near  the  close  of  the  following  year,  he  was  guided  by 
the  disposal  of  Providence,  to  a  parish  or  precinct  called 
Titicut,  upon  the  river  between  Bridgwater  and  Middle- 
borough,  in  the  county  of  Plymouth,  Massachusetts,  where 
a  Pedobaptist  church,  of  the  Separate  order,  was  formed 
in  February  following,  to  which  he  ministered  with  evi- 
dent success.  In  August,  1746,  disputes  about  baptism 
were  first  brought  into  this  church ;  and  while  the  pastor, 
Mr.  Backus,  was  prayerfully  considering  the  subject,  ten 
persons  were  baptized  by  Elder  Moulton.     The  descrip- 


MEMOIR   OF    THE    AUTHOR.  ,    O 

tion  of  his  subsequent  exercises,  and  the  result  to  which 
he  was  brought,  is  thus  given  in  his  own  words. 

"About  three  months  after,  when  the  heat  of  contro- 
versy was  abated,  the  question  was  put  to  my  conscience 
in  my  retired  hours.  Where  is  it,  and  in  what  relation  to 
the  church,  do  those  stand,  who  are  baptized,  but  not  con- 
verted ?  I  could  see  that  all  the  circumcised  were  obliged 
to  keep  the  passover ;  and  I  had  seen  that  there  was  no 
halfway  in  the  Christian  church,  nor  any  warrant  to  ad- 
mit any  to  communion  therein,  without  a  credible  profes- 
sion of  saving  faith.  No  tongue  can  tell  the  distress  I 
now  felt.  Could  I  have  discovered  any  foundation  in 
Scripture  for  my  former  practice,  I  should  most  certainly 
have  continued  therein  :  But  all  my  efforts  failing,  I  was 
at  last  brought  to  the  old  standard,  so  as  to  leave  good 
men  and  bad  men  out  of  the  question,  and  simply  inquire, 
What  saith  the  Scripture?''  By  this  means  his  mind 
was  at  length  settled,  in  the  full  conviction  of  the  baptism 
of  believers  only,  and  he  submitted  himself  to  this  ordi- 
nance, August  22,  1751. 

For  more  than  four  years  afterwards,  he  continued  mi- 
nistering to  the  same  church,  on  the  principles  of  open 
communion ;  many  of  its  members  being  decided  Bap- 
tists, and  others  still  cleaving  to  the  principles  and  prac- 
tice of  Pedobaptism.  This  difference  created  no  litde 
embarrassment,  and  furnished  frequent  occasions  of  dis- 
quietude to  both  parties,  which  led  to  a  fresh  search  into 
the  cause  of  these  difficulties.  The  following  account  of 
the  result,  is  from  the  pen  of  Mr.  Backus. 

"  The  arguments  of  the  beloved  Bunyan  for  a  free 
communion  with  all  saints,  had  before  appeared  conclu- 
sive to  me  and  to  others ;  but  a  review  of  them  discovered 
his  mistake.  One  argument  is,  that  plain  laws  of  old, 
were  sometimes  dispensed  with ;  as  circumcision  was 
omitted  in  the  wilderness ;  David  ate  of  the  shew-bread 
that  was  not  lawful  for  him :  and  the  people  in  Heze- 
kiah^s  time  ate  of  the  passover,  otherwise  than  it  was 
written.  But  it  was  found  upon  search,  that  each  of 
these  were  extraordinary  cases,  which  were  not  repeated ; 
and  therefore  could  afford  no  plea  for  dispensing  with 

1* 


O  MEMOIR   OF    THE    AUTHOR. 

rule,  at  ordinary  times.  And  as  to  Bunyan's  capital 
argument,  which  is,  God  hath  received  them,  therefore 
we  ought  to ;  it  was  observed  that  his  example  is  often 
inimitable  by  us,  but  as  far  as  it  is  imitable,  it  is  always 
in  the  truth.  Hence  truth  is  never  to  be  violated  for  any 
one,  no,  not  to  save  natural  life,  which  all  lawful  means 
should  be  used  to  preserve.  And  truth  so  clearly  requires 
baptism  before  the  supper,  that  Pedobaptists  do  never 
come  to  the  table  with  any  but  such  as  are  baptized  in 
their  esteem.  Neither  could  we  understandingly  act  in 
being  buried  in  baptism,  until  we  were  convinced  that 
what  was  done  to  us  in  infancy  was  not  gospel  baptism ; 
therefore  to  commune  at  the  Lord's  table  with  any  who 
were  only  sprinkled  in  infancy,  is  parting  with  truth,  by 
practically  saying  they  are  baptized,  when  we  do  not  be- 
lieve they  are.  I  since  find  that  the  learned  and  pious 
Dr.  Watts  in  his  '  Rational  foundation  of  the  Christian 
church,'  allows  this  argument  to  be  just,  though  many 
still  wrangle  against  it." 

Upon  this  conviction,  that  truth  limits  church  com- 
munion to  believers  baptized  upon  a  profession  of  their 
own  faith,  and  that  into  the  Christian  church  neither  na- 
tural birth,  nor  the  doings  of  others,  can  rightly  bring  any 
one  soul,  without  their  own  consent ;  a  church  was  con- 
stituted at  Titicut,  (known  as  the  first  Baptist  church  in 
Middleborough,)  January  26,  1756,  and  by  assistance 
from  Boston  and  Rehoboth,  the  subject  of  this  memoir 
Was  publicly  recognised  as  their  pastor  in  July  following. 
This  was  the  first  Baptist  church  constituted  in  Plymouth 
county,  and  at  the  time  was  the  only  one  in  an  extent  of 
country  above  a  hundred  miles  long,  from  Bellingham  to 
Cape  Cod,  and  near  fifty  miles  wide,  from  Boston  to  Re- 
hoboth. • 

In  this  place,  and  as  the  faithful  and  endeared  pastor 
of  this  flock,  Mr.  Backus  spent  sixty  years  of  his  useful 
life.  In  1749  he  was  married  to  Susanna  Mason  of  Re- 
hoboth, with  whom  he  lived  in  the  greatest  harmony  more 
than  half  a  century.  According  to  his  own  words,  "  She 
was  the  greatest  earthly  blessing  which  God  ever  gave 
him."     They  reared  up  a  somewhat  numerous  family  of 


.r- 


HEMOm   OF   THE    ATTTHOR.  f 

children,  of  high  respectability ;  and  though  nerer  very 
amply  supported  by  the  people  to  whom  he  ministered, 
they  were  enabled,  by  the  blessing  of  Providence,  and  their 
own  industry  and  frugality,  to  accumulate  an  estate  of  con- 
siderable value. 

The  church  over  which  he  was  the  spiritual  watchman 
was  small  for  many  years.  But  they  had  some  additions 
from  time  to  time,  until  the  blessed  revival  which  begun 
in  1779,  and  increased  their  number  in  three  years  from 
fifty-nine  members  to  one  hundred  and  thirty-eight.  This 
church  was  also  the  germ  of  several  other  Baptist  churches, 
and  the  nursing  mother  of  several  distinguished  ministers 
of  the  gospel.  In  little  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  century 
after  its  constitution,  there  were  seventeen  churches 
within  the  wide  limits  above  described. 

Besides  the  labours  of  Mr.  Backus  as  a  Christian  pas- 
tor, he  was  eminently  distinguished  as  the  noble  defender 
of  religious  liberty  and  the  rights  of  conscience,  and  as 
an  ecclesiastical  historian.  The  part  which  he  took,  and 
the  service  he  performed,  in  both  these  spheres,  for  the 
general  welfare  of  the  Baptist  churches,  furnish  a  number 
of  incidents  which  ought  to  be  perpetuated,  and  also 
serve  to  illustrate  the  excellences  of  his  character.  He 
early  imbibed  a  settled  aversion  to  civil  coercion  in  reli- 
gious concerns.  He  was  taught  its  iniquity  both  by  ex- 
perience and  observation,  having  been  himself  taxed  and 
seized  as  a  prisoner  to  coerce  payment,  to  support  a  mi- 
nister on  whom  he  never  attended,  and  indeed  at  a  time 
when  he  was  pastor,  and  regularly  officiated  to  another 
church.  His  members,  too,  were  sometimes  imprisoned 
for  similar  causes ;  nor  would  he  be  likely  to  forget  the 
horror  early  produced  in  his  mind  by  the  imprisonment 
of  his  widowed  mother.  Few  men  have  exerted  them- 
selves more  than  he  did  in  the  support  of  the  equal  rights 
of  Christians,  to  worship  God  unmolested.  In  1772  he 
was  chosen  an  agent  for  the  Baptist  churches  in  Massa- 
chusetts, in  the  room  of  Mr.  Davis,  formerly  pastor  of 
the  second  church  in  Boston,  then  lately  deceased.  The 
duties  of  this  agency,  which  was  merely  of  a  civil  cha- 
racter, were  executed  by  him  with  fidelity,  intrepidity. 


8  MEMOIR   OF   THE   AUTHOR. 

and  some  degree  of  success.  Members  of  Baptist  and 
other  non-conforming  churches  and  congregations  in  that 
state,  were  then  so  continually  harrassed  for  the  support 
of  the  established  clergy,  that  they  found  it  necessary  to 
have  some  one  thoroughly  acquainted  with  the  laws  and 
usages,  to  advise  on  sudden  emergencies,  and  to  afford 
assistance  to  those  who  were  in  trouble.  Their  great 
object  was  to  obtain  the  establishment  of  equal  religious 
liberty  in  the  land,  which  the  dominant  party  were  de- 
termined to  prevent. 

When  the  disputes  came  on,  which  terminated  in  the 
revolutionary  war  and  the  independence  of  the  United 
States,  the  Baptists  vigorously  united  with  their  fellow- 
citizens  in  resisting  the  arbitrary  claims  of  Great  Britain ; 
but  it  seemed  to  them  unreasonable  that  they  should  be 
called,  upon  to  contend  for  civil  liberty,  if,  after  it  was 
gained,  they  should  still  be  exposed  to  oppression  in  re- 
ligious concerns.  When,  therefore,  the  first  Continental 
Congress  met  in  Philadelphia,  the  Warren  Association, 
viewing  it  as  the  highest  civil  resort,  agreed  to  send  Mr. 
Backus  as  their  agent  to  that  convention,  "  there  to  follow 
the  best  advice  he  could  obtain,  to  procure  some  influence 
from  thence  in  their  favour."  When  he  arrived  in  Phila- 
delphia, the  Philadelphia  Baptist  Association  appointed  a 
large  committee,  of  whom  Dr.  Samuel  Jones  was  one,  to 
assist  their  New  England  brethren.  '*  But  our  endea- 
vours," says  Dr.  Jones,  "  availed  us  nothing.  One  of 
them  told  us,  that  if  we  meant  to  effect  a  change  in  their 
measures  respecting  religion,  we  might  as  well  attempt  to 
change  the  course  of  the  sun  in  the  heavens." 

Mr.  Backus  failing  of  success  at  Philadelphia,  on  his 
return  met  the  Baptist  committee  at  Boston,  by  whose 
advice  a  memorial  of  their  grievances  was  drawn  up,  and 
laid  before  the  next  Congress  at  Cambridge,  near  Boston, 
to  which  the  following  answer  was  returned  : — 

"//I  Provincial  Congress,  Cambridge,  Dec.  9,  1774. 
"On  reading  the  memorial  of  the  Rev.  Isaac  Backus, 
agent  to  the  Baptist  churches  in  this  government : — 
**  Resolved^  That  the  establishment  of  civil  and  reli- 


MEMOIR   OF    THE    AUTHOR.  9^ 

gious  liberty,  to  each  denomination  in  the  province,  is  the 
sincere  wish  of  this  Congress ;  but  being  by  no  means 
vested  with  powers  of  civil  government,  whereby  they 
can  redress  the  grievances  of  any  person  whatever ;  they 
therefore  recommend  to  the  Baptist  churches,  that  when 
a  General  Assembly  shall  be  convened  in  this  colony, 
they  lay  the  real  grievances  of  said  churches  before  the 
same,  when  and  where  their  petition  will  most  certainly 
meet  with  all  that  attention  due  to  the  memorial  of  a  de- 
nomination of  Christians,  so  well  disposed  to  the  public 
weal  of  their  country. 

**  By  order  of  the  Congress^ 

'*  John  Hancock,  President, 

"  ^  true  extract  from  the  Minutes, 
'*  John  Lincoln,  Secretary. ^^ 

Such  an  Assembly  as  is  here  mentioned,  convened  at 
Watertown,  July,  1775,  to  which  our  brethren  presented 
another  memorial,  in  which  they  said,  **  Our  real  griev- 
ances are,  that  we,  as  well  as  our  fathers,  have  from  time 
to  time  been  taxed  on  religious  accounts  where  we  were 
not  represented ;  and  when  we  have  sued  for  our  rights, 
our  causes  have  been  tried  by  interested  judges.  That 
the  representatives  in  former  Assemblies,  as  well  as  the 
present,  were  elected  by  virtue  only  of  civil  and  worldly 
qualifications,  is  a  truth  so  evident,  that  we  presume  it 
need  not  be  proved  to  this  Assembly ;  ^nd  for  a  civil 
legislature  to  impose  religious  taxes,  is,  we  conceive,  a 
power  which  their  constituents  never  had  to  give,  and  is, 
therefore,  going  entirely  out  of  their  jurisdiction.  Uhder 
the  legal  dispensation,  where  God  himself  prescribed  the 
exact  proportion  of  what  the  people  were  to  give,  yet 
none  but  persons  of  the  worst  characters  ever  attempted 
to  take  it  by  force.  How  daring  then  must  it  be  for  any 
to  do  it  for  Christ's  ministers,  who  says.  My  kingdom 
is  not  of  this  world !  We  beseech  this  honourable  As- 
sembly to  take  these  matters  into  their  wise  and  serious 
consideration  before  Him,  who  has  said,  TVith  what  mea' 
sure  ye  mete  it  shall  be  measured  to  you  again.     Is  not 


10  MEMOIR    OF    THF    AUTKv.  R. 

all  America  now  appealing  to  Heaven,  against  the  injus- 
tice of  being  taxed  where  we  are  not  represented,  and 
against  being  judged  by  men,  who  are  interested  in  getting 
away  our  money  ?  And  will  Heaven  approve  of  your 
doing  the  same  thing  to  your  fellow -servants !  No,  surely. 
We  have  no  desire  of  representing  this  government  as  the 
worst  of  any  who  have  imposed  religious  taxes  ;  we  fully 
believe  the  contrary.  Yet,  as  we  are  persuaded  that  an 
entire  freedom  from  being  taxed  by  civil  rulers  to  reli- 
gious worship,  is  not  a  mere  favour,  from  any  man  or 
men  in  the  world,  but  a  right  and  property  granted  us  by 
God,  who  commands  us  to  standfast  in  it,  we  have  not 
only  the  same  reason  to  refuse  an  acknowledgment  of 
such  a  taxing  power  here,  as  America  has  the  abovesaid 
power,  but  also,  according  to  our  present  light,  we  should 
wrong  our  consciences  in  allowing  that  power  to  men, 
which  we  believe  belongs  only  to  God." 

This  memorial  was  read  in  the  Assembly,  and  after 
lying  a  week  on  the  table,  was  read  again,  debated  upon, 
and  referred  to  a  committee,  who  reported  fav^ourably.  A 
bill  was  finally  brought  in,in  favour  of  the  petitioners,  read 
once,  and  a  time  set  for  its  second  reading ;  but  other 
business  crowded  in,  and  nothing  more  was  done  about 
it.  In  this  manner  have  the  Baptist^  frequently  been 
shuffled  out  of  their  rights.  After  this,  they  made  a 
number  of  attempts  to  get  some  security  for  their  freedom 
from  religious  oppression,  but  none  was  formally  given 
them.  They  had  many  fair  promises,  which  were  never 
fulfilled ;  and  when  the  State  Constitution  was  formed, 
the  Bill  of  Rights  was  made  to  look  one  way,  but  priests 
and  constables  have  gone  another.  The  first  article  of 
the  Bill  of  Rights  declares  "  All  men  are  born  free  and 
equal,  and  have  certain  natural,  essential,  and  unalienable 
rights,"  &c.  The  second  declares,  "No  subject  shall 
be  hurt,  molested,  or  restrained,  in  his  person,  liberty 
or  estate,  for  worshipping  God  in  the  manner  and  sea- 
son most  agreeable  to  the  dictates  of  his  own  con- 
science," <fcc. 

But  notwithstanding  all  these  declarations,  many  have 


MEMOIR   OF    THE    AUTHOR.  11 

been  molested  and  restrained  in  their  persons,  liberties, 
and  estates,  on  religious  accounts.* 

These  things  we  have  thought  proper  to  insert  in  Mr. 
Backus's  biography.  He  was  undoubtedly  the  draughts- 
man of  some  of  the  memorials  of  his  brethren,  and  he 
was  certainly  the  able  and  undaunted  expositor  of  them 
all.  His  whole  soul  was  engaged  in  the  prosecution  of 
his  agency ;  insomuch  that  he  became  the  champion  of 
non-conformity  in  New  England,  and  was,  on  that  ac- 
count, much  vilified  and  abused  by  the  established  party. 

When  he  waited  on  the  Congress  at  Philadelphia,  he 
was  accused  of  going  there  on  purpose  to  attempt  to 
break  the  union  of  the  colonies.  The  newspapers 
abounded  with  pieces  against  him,  some  of  which  he  an- 
swered, and  others  he  treated  as  beneath  his  notice.  In 
one,  he  was  threatened  with  a  halter  and  the  gallows ; 
but  he  had  been  too  long  inured  to  the  war,  to  be  terrified 
by  such  impotent  threats. 

Bad  as  were  the  laws  of  Massachusetts  at  this  period, 
their  interpretation  and  execution  by  bigoted  and  inte- 
rested courts  was  frequently  much  more  exceptionable. 
Against  ;ill  such  perversions  Mr.  Backus  failed  not  to  lift 
up  the  voice  of  solemn  remonstrance.  The  undaunted 
intrepidity  with  which  he  withstood  corrupt  or  party- 
blinded  judges,  even  to  the  face,  is  still  remembered  by 
some  of  that  waning  remnant  who  were  contemporaneous 
with  his  later  years. 

The  other  sphere  of  service  in  which  the  subject  of  this 
memoir  acted  so  distinguished  and  useful  a  part,  was  entered 
in  obedience  to  the  pressing  and  reiterated  solicitations  of 
his  brethren.  With  characteristic  humility  he  thus  adverts, 
in  the  preface  to  vol.  i.  of  his  history,  to  his  feelings  and 
circumstances  when  first  solicited,  about  the  year  1771, 
to  wri^e  a  history  of  the  churches  of  New  England. 
'*  When  I  was  requested  by  several  gentlemen  of  note  and 
others,  to  undertake  this  work,  two  great  objections  pre- 
sented themselves  to  my  mind  ;  namely,  my  great  unfit- 

•  This  remained  true  till  within  a  few  years  since,  when  the  con- 
stitution of  Massachusetts  was  finally  purified  of  this  obnoxious 
feature,  and  all  sects  were  placed  on  equality. 


12  MEMOIR    OF    THE    AUTHOR. 

ness  for  it,  and  the  difficulty  of  obtaining  the  necessary 
materials.  But  their  importunity  prevailed  against  the 
first,  and  Divine  providence  has  removed  the  other,  by 
conveying  into  my  hands  a  variety  of  authentic  materials, 
much  beyond  what  I  conceived  could  have  now  been  ob- 
tained in  the  world."  In  the  same  preface  he  thus  indi- 
cates the  necessity  of  re-writing  the  early  history  of  the 
Puritan  churches  and  governments, 

"  It  may  well  be  supposed,  that  men  who  are  striving  for 
more  power  over  others  than  belongs  to  them,  will  not 
set  their  own  or  their  opponent's  disposition  and  character 
in  a  just  light.  And  if  it  should  be  found,  that  near  all 
the  histories  of  this  country  which  are  much  known,  have 
been  written  by  persons  who  thought  themselves  invested 
with  power  to  act  as  lawgivers  and  judges  for  their 
neighbours,  under  the  name  either  of  orthodoxy,  or  of 
immediate  power  from  heaven,  the  inference  will  be 
strong,  that  our  affairs  have  never  been  set  in  so  clear  a 
light  as  they  ought  to  be ;  and  if  this  is  not  indeed  the 
case,  I  am  greatly  mistaken." 

Under  these  circumstances,  Mr.  Backus  set  himself  to 
the  diligent  search  of  all  the  original  records  within  his 
reach,  and  in  1777,  in  the  midst  of  the  confusion  and  suf- 
fering occasioned  by  the  war  of  the  Revolution,  he  pub- 
lished his  first  volume,  a  large  8vo.,  and  brought  down 
the  history  of  the  colonies,  and  particularly  of  their  eccle- 
siastical affairs  to  1690.  A  single  sheet  was  added  as  an 
** Appendix,  containing  a  brief  summary  of  the  Ecclesi- 
astical Affairs  of  this  country  down  to  the  present  time." 

This  volume  is  now  very  scarce,  and  though  containing 
ample  and  valuable  materials  for  the  historian,  they  will 
scarcely  require  to  be  republished  in  their  present  shape. 

His  second  volume  contained  the  Church  History  of 
New  England,  from  1690  to  1784.  It  included  "A  con- 
cise  view  of  the  American  War,  and  of  the  conduct  of  the 
Baptists  therein,  with  the  present  state  of  their  churches." 
In  1796  a  third  volume  appeared,  gleaning  up  a  portion 
of  materials  which  had  been  omitted  in  the  others,  and 
continuing  the  history  down  to  that  time.  He  says, 
*'  Through  the  whole,  I  h^ve  compared  actions  and  events 


MEMOIR    OF    THE    AUTHOR.  13 

With  the  word  of  God,  according  to  the  best  light  I  could 
gain  from  every  quarter." 

The  first  and  third  of  the  above  volumes  were  printed 
in  Boston,  the  second  in  Providence.  They  contain  in 
the  aggregate  more  than  1300  pages  octavo;  and  though 
from  the  circumstances  in  which  they  were  successively 
produced,  it  could  not  be  expected  that  they  would  be 
free  from  repetitions,  and  some  transposition  of  the  order 
of  events,  yet  the  student  of  our  early  ecclesiastical  his- 
tory will  in  vain  look  elsewhere  for  much  of  the  interest- 
ing and  important  matter  here  contained.  The  style  is 
uniformly  lucid  and  nervous,  without  any  attempt  at 
polish  or  ornament.  The  sentiments  and  reflections 
freely  interspersed,  are  such  as  arise  naturally  from  the 
events  narrated,  and  are  fully  imbued  with  the  desire  of 
civil  and  religious  liberty.  A  delightful  spirit  of  candour 
is  evinced,  in  giving  just  commendation  to  whatever  was 
truly  excellent  in  the  character  and  deportment  of  the  Pu- 
ritans ;  and  if  their  now  indefensible  intolerance  and 
bigotry  receive  a  somewhat  severer  denunciation  than 
we  have  been  accustomed  to  hear  awarded  to  them,  let  us 
remember  the  exasperating  circumstances  under  which 
the  author  wrote.  Let  it  also  be  borne  in  mind  that  he 
clearly  discriminates  between  the  early  principles  of  the 
Puritans,  and  some  subsequent  inconsistencies  of  their 
practice. 

His  last  historical  work  was  the  volume  herewith 
published.  It  consists  of  a  condensation  of  the  most  im- 
portant things  embraced  in  his  lormer  publications,  into 
one  smaller  volume,  with  a  concise  view  of  the  southern 
states ;  the  whole  being  continued  to  the  time  of  its  pub- 
lication in  1804.  This  is  by  far  the  most  useful  of  his 
historical  labours,  for  common  readers  ;  and  will  by  this 
cheap  republication,  be  made  widely  accessible. 

Besides  these  literary  enterprises,  and  the  ordinary  dis- 
charge of  his  pastoral  duties,  he  travelled  and  preached 
very  extensively  in  New  England,  and  on  one  occasion, 
in  1789,  in  consequence  of  a  request  from  the  southern 
brethren  for  some  one  of  the  ministers  of  the  Warren  As- 
sociation to  come  and  assist  them  in  the  great  field  of 


14  MEMOIR    OF    THE    AUTHOR. 

labour  which  was  then  opened  before  them,  he  spent  six 
months  chiefly  in  Virginia  and  North  Carolina,  in  which 
tour  he  travelled  over  three  thousand  miles,  and  preached 
one  hundred  and  twenty-six  sermons.  His  pen  was 
rarely  idle  for  any  considerable  length  of  time,  and  besides 
the  list  of  about  forty  publications  which  he  sent  to  the 
press,  within  the  last  half  century  of  his  useful  life,  he 
wrote  a  number  of  circular  letters,  and  other  communica- 
tions for  various  periodicals.  His  newspaper  articles 
were  not  on  the  ordinary  political  topics,  but  were  de- 
signed to  expose  ecclesiastical  oppression,  and  to  defend 
the  noble  principles  of  religious  freedom.* 

This  distinguished  man  finished  his  earthly  course  with 
great  composure,  November  20,  1806,  in  the  83d  year  of 
his  age,  and  the  60th  of  his  ministry.     For  a  few  months 

*  The  following  is  a  complete  list  of  the  books  and  pamphlets 
which  he  published,  in  regular  order.  A  Discourse  on  the  Internal 
Call  to  preach  the  Gospel,  1754.  A  Sermon  on  Gal.  iv.  31.,  1766. 
A  Sermon  on  Acts  xiii.  27,  1763.  A  Letter  to  Mr.  Lord,  1764.  A 
Sermon  on  Prayer,  1766.  A  Discourse  on  Faith,  1767.  An  Answer 
to  Mr.  Fish,  1768.  A  Sermon  on  his  Mother's  Death,  1769.  A  Se- 
cond Edition  of  his  Sermon  on  Gal.  iv.  31.,  with  an  Answer  to  Mr. 
Frothingham,  1770.  A  Plea  for  Liberty  of  Conscience,  1770.  So- 
vereign Grace  vindicated,  1771.  A  Letter  concerning  Taxes  to  sup- 
port Religious  Worship,  1771.  A  Sermon  at  the  Ordination  of  Mr. 
Hunt,  1772.  A  reply  to  Mr.  Holly,  1772.  A  Reply  to  Mr.  Fish, 
1773.  An  Appeal  to  the  Public  in  Defence  of  ReUgious  Liberty, 
1773.  A  Letter  on  the  Decrees,  1773.  A  History  of  the  Baptists, 
vol.  i.  1777.  Government  and  Liberty  described,  1778.  A  Piece 
upon  Baptism,  1779.  True  Policy  requires  Equal  Religious  Liberty, 
1779.  An  Appeal  to  the  People  of  Massachusetts  against  Arbitrary 
Power,  1 780.  Truth  is  Great  and  will  Prevail,  1781.  The  Doctrine 
of  Universal  Salvation  examined  and  refuted,  1782.  A  Door  opened 
for  Christian  Liberty,  1783.  A  History  of  the  Baptists,  vol.  ii.,  1784. 
Godliness  excludes  Slavery,  in  Answer  to  John  Cleaveland,  1785. 
The  Testimony  of  the  Two  Witnesses,  1786.  An  Address  to  New 
England,  1787.  An  Answer  to  Remmele  on  the  Atonement,  1787. 
A  Piece  on  Discipline,  1787.  An  Answer  to  Wesley  on  Election 
'  and  Perseverance,  1789.  On  the  Support  of  Gospel  Ministers,  1790. 
An  Essay  on  the  Kingdom  of  God,  1792.  A  History  of  the  Baptists, 
vol.  iii.,  1796.  A  second  edition  of  his  Sermon  on  the  death  of  his 
Mother ;  to  which  was  added  a  Short  Account  of  his  Wife,  who  died  in 
1800.  Published  1803.  An  Abridgment  of  the  Church  History  of 
New  England,  1804.     A  Great  Faith  described,  1805. 


MEMOIR    OF    THE    AUTHOR.  15 

previous  to  his  death  he  had  been  laid  by  from  his  public 
labours  by  a  paralysis,  which  deprived  him  of  the  power 
of  speech  and  the  use  of  his  limbs.  But  his  reason  con- 
tinued unclouded  to  the  last,  and  in  his  expiring  moments, 
he  manifested  entire  resignation  to  the  will  of  Heaven. 

Few  of  his  favoured  brethren  of  this  generation,  are 
adequately  impressed  with  a  sense  of  their  indebtedness 
to  the  labours  of  this  departed  champion  of  their  cause. 
He  was  unquestionably  one  of  the  most  useful  ministers 
that  has  ever  appeared  among  the  American  Baptists. 
For  fifty  years,  he  was  a  laborious  servant  of  their 
churches ;  and  for  more  than  half  this  period,  he  diligently 
devoted  what  time  he  could  spare  from  professional  du- 
ties, to  historical  researches.  The  vast  fund  of  materials 
which  he  thus  accumulated,  must  have  sunk  into  entire 
oblivion,  had  it  not  been  for  his  unwearied  care.  As  a 
preacher  he  was  entirely  evangelical :  pungency,  pathos 
and  power,  characterized  many  of  his  discourses,  which 
though  unornamented  with  rhetorical  language,  were  richly 
stored  with  scriptural  truth. 

His  unaffected  piety,  sincerity,  and  unwavering  inte- 
grity, were  proverbial  among  all  that  knew  him.  The 
foUowiPig  interesting  reminiscence  has  been  communicated 
by  the  worthy  pastor  of  the  church  to  which  father  Backus 
so  long  ministered. 

**  The  following  anecdote  is  sometimes  related  by  the 
aged  Christians  in  this  region  : — An  unpleasant  rupture 
took  place  between  Rev.  Mr.  Alden,  late  of  Bellingham, 
and  a  certain  Mr.  Mann,  a  member  of  his  church.  All 
attempts  for  a  reconciliation  were  in  vain.  At  length  a 
number  of  ministers  were  called  together  for  consultation 
and  advice ;  among  whom  were  Stillman,  of  Boston : 
Manning,  of  Providence  :  and  Backus,  of  Middleborough. 
The  conference  was  held  at  the  house  of  Rev.  W. 
Williams,  in  Wrentham,  and  they  spent  the  afternoon 
and  almost  all  the  following  night  in  their  pious  efforts  ; 
but  the  parties  were  unyielding,  and  there  was  not  the 
least  prospect  of  a  settlement.  For  a  long  time  Mr. 
Backus  had  sat  with  his  head  bowed  down,  and  appeared 
to  be  sleeping.     A  little  before  break  of  day,  (which  is 


16  MEMOIR    OF    THE    AUTHOR. 

said  to  be  the  darkest  time,)  Mr.  B.  rose  up,  saying, — 
Let  us  look  to  the  throne  of  grace  once  more  ;  and  then 
kneeling  down  he  prayed.  The  spirit  and  tone  of  his 
prayer  was  such  as  to  make  every  one  feel  that  the  heart- 
searching  God  had  come  down  among  them.  The  result 
was,  the  contending  parties  began  immediately  to  melt, 
and  the  rising  sun  saw  the  rupture  healed  and  closed  up 
forever. 

"  I  have  often  heard  that  good  man  pray.  The  efficacy 
of  his  prayers  did  not  consist  in  length,  nor  gaudy  dre^s ; 
but  it  seemed  that  he  and  his  God  loved  one  another,  and 
that  he  was  at  home  before  the  throne  of  grace.  I  heard 
the  last  sermon  which  he  ever  preached.  It  was  deliver- 
ed in  his  dwelling-house,  from  1  Pet.  ii.  9.  I  remember 
well  the  piety,  pathos,  and  unusual  earnestness  which 
characterized  that  discourse.  His  religion  made  him 
willing  to  die.  S.  H." 

The  following  description  of  his  person  and  manner,  is 
from  the  pen  of  his  intimate  friend  and  contemporary,  Dr. 
Thomas  Baldwin  of  Boston. 

"  Mr.  Backus's  personal  appearance  was  very  grave 
and  venerable.  He  w^as  not  far  from  six  feet  in  stature, 
and  in  the  latter  part  of  life  considerably  corpulent.  He 
was  naturally  modest  and  diffident ;  which  probably  led 
him  into  a  habit,  which  he  continued  to  the  day  of  his 
death,  of  shutting  his  eyes,  when  conversing  or  preach- 
ing on  important  subjects.  His  voice  was  clear  and  dis- 
tinct, but  rather  sharp  than  pleasant.  In  both  praying 
and  preaching,  he  often  appeared  to  be  favoured  with  such 
a  degree  of  divine  unction,  as  to  render  it  manifest  to  all 
that  God  was  with  him.  Few  men  have  more  uniformly 
lived  and  acted  up  to  their  profession  than  Mr.  Backus. 
It  may  be  truly  said  of  him,  that  he  was  a  burning  and 
shining  light;  and,  though  dead,  he  left  behind  him  the 
good  name  which  is  better  than  precious  ointment.'^ 


PREFACE. 


The  experience  of  mankind,  from  age  to  age,  gives 
the  best  light  to  direct  our  ways  of  any  human  means  ; 
and  the  record  of  the  word  of  God  is  our  only  sure  guide 
to  eternal  life.  Comparing  spiritual  things  with  spiritual, 
under  the  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  is  the  way  to 
bring  us  to  that  happy  end ;  and  though  the  writings  of 
all  uninspired  men  are  imperfect,  yet  by  comparing  their 
various  accounts  together,  we  may  gain  much  instruction 
from  them  about  the  accomplishment  of  prophecy,  and 
many  other  things. 

These  things  were  much  upon  my  mind  in  early  life, 
especially  about  the  history  of  my  own  country.  And 
when  the  knowledge  of  experimental  religion  was  given 
me,  above  threescore  years  ago,  it  increased  my  attention 
to  these  things.^  But  when  some  of  our  chief  ministers 
requested  me  to  engage  to  write  our  history,  in  1771,  the 
greatness  of  the  work,  and  the  difficulty  of  obtaining  the 
necessary  materials,  were  great  objections  in  my  way. 
Yet  their  importunity  prevailed  ;  and  I  spent  much  of  my 
time  in  going  to,  and  searching  of  the  records  of  the  old 
colonies  of  Plymouth,  Massachusetts,  Rhode  Island, 
Connecticut,  and  of  the  United  Colonies,  which  last  are 
ai  Plymouth.  I  also  searched  many  other  records  and 
papers,  as  well  as  books  of  various  kinds,  and  inquired 
of  intelligent  persons,  to  get  all  the  light  I  could  from 
every  quarter.  And  our  first  volume  was  published  in 
'2*  17 


18  PREFACE. 

1777,  the  second  in  1784,  and  the  third  in  1796 ;  and  I 
never  heard  of  any  thing  published  against  the  work, 
though  I  desired  that  it  might  be  corrected. 

As  several  things  have  come  to  light  of  late,  that  I  had 
not  before,  and  my  ability  for  writing  is  continued  to  old 
age,*  I  have  thought  it  to  be  [my]  duty  to  reduce  the 
most  useful  things  into  one  volume,  with  a  concise  view 
of  our  Southern  States,  as  well  as  to  bring  the  history 
down  to  the  present  time.  And  as  writers  are  often  in- 
correct in  their  dates,  I  have  paid  much  attention  to  that 
subject ;  and  have  given  an  exact  table  of  events,  accord- 
ing to  what  light  I  could  gain,  following  the  old  style, 
until  the  new  took  place  in  1752. 

Many  of  the  new  things  in  this  volume  were  taken 
from  Winthrop's  Journal,  published  in  1790 ;  from  the 
publications  of  the  Historical  Society  at  Boston,  and 
from  a  book  which  I  borrowed  of  them,  called  **  The 
Bloody  Tenet,"  of  which  I  know  not  of  another  copy  in 
America.  The  accounts  of  our  Southern  States  were  col- 
lected partly  when  I  was  in  North  Carolina  and  Virginia, 
in  1789,  and  partly  from  other  sources  of  intelligence. 
And  in  the  experience  of  two  centuries,  in  this  great 
country,  we  may  see  a  great  variety  of  different  schemes 
of  government  that  have  been  tried,  which  may  direct  our 
choice  to  what  is  right,  and  to  avoid  evil  ways ;  espe- 
cially to  guard  against  all  cruelty,  deceit,  and  violence. 
These  things  are  humbly  presented  to  the  public,  by 
their  aged  friend,  Isaac  IBackus. 

Middkbormgh,  August  30, 1804. 

*  Eighty  on  January  20,  1804. 


CHURCH   HISTORY 

OF 

NEW  ENGLAND. 


CHAPTER  I. 


Their  first  church  formed — They  divide  into  two — They  remove  to 
Amsterdam — One  goes  to  Ley  den — They  increase  to  three  hun- 
dred— Part  of  them  come  to  America — Here  many  of  them  die. 
Yet  the  rest  are  prospered — Robinson  dies  in  Holland — Yet  more 
come  over — Their  charter  given — Their  church  order. 

The  light  of  revelation,  and  the  superstitions  and  per- 
secutions of  the  Church  of  England,  were  the  causes  of 
the  first  planting  of  New  England.  A  number  of  people 
near  the  borders  of  the  counties  of  York,  Nottingham,  and 
Lincoln,  were  so  much  convinced  of  the  corruptions  of 
the  Church  of  England,  that  they  withdrew  from  her  in 
1602,  and  formed  another  church,  in  which  they  cove- 
nanted together,  to  walk  in  all  the  ordinances  and  com- 
mandments of  God,  according  to  the  light  he  had  given, 
or  should  give  them  out  of  his  holy  word.  But  for  so 
doing  they  were  cruelly  persecuted  by  the  ruling  powers 
of  the  national  church.  Yet  they  increased  so  much  in 
about  four  years,  as  to  divide  into  two  churches ;  and  this 
increased  the  resentment  of  their  enemies  so  much,  that 
they  removed  to  Amsterdam,  in  1608.  One  of  these 
churches  had  the  aged  Mr.  Richard  Clifton,  and  Mr. 
John  Robinson  for  their  pastors  ;  but  Clifton  died  at  Ara- 

19 


20  CHURCH    HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.        [cH.  I. 

sterdam.*  And  as  contentions  had  broken  out  in  the 
other  church,  Mr.  Robinson  and  his  people  removed  to 
Leyden,  in  1609,  though  tu  their  temporal  disadvantage. 
There  they  lived  in  peace  and  harmony,  and  increased  to 
three  hundred  communicants. 

This  caused  much  uneasiness  in  the  Church  of  England, 
and  many  things  were  published  against  them.  Mr. 
Richard  Bernard  of  Nottinghamshire,  in  particular,  wrote 
a  large  book  against  them,  which  Mr.  Robinson  answered 
in  1610;  and  he  observes,  that  because  one  Bolton,  in  the 
early  part  of  the  reign  of  Queen  Elizabeth,  formed  a 
church  in  a  way  of  separation  from  the  Church  of  Eng- 
land, which  persecution  brought  him  to  renounce,  and 
afterwards  to  hang  himself;  and  Robert  Brown,  a  minis- 
ter of  that  church,  came  out  and  formed  several  separate 
cjiurches,  and  yet  turned  back  again  into  the  national 
church,  Mr.  Bernard  brought  these  instances  as  arguments 
against  all  who  separated  from  them.  Upon  which  Ro- 
binson said,  '*  The  universal  apostasy  of  all  the  bishops, 
ministers,  students  in  the  universities,  yea,  of  the  whole 
Church  of  England  in  Queen  Mary's  days,  (a  handful  in 
comparison  excepted,)  might  more  colourably  be  urged  by 
the  papists  against  Mr.  Bernard,  than  some  few  instances 
against  us.  The  fall  of  Judas,  an  apostle  ;  of  Nicolas,  one 
of  the  seven  deacons  ;  and  of  Demas,  one  of  Paul's  special 
companions  in  the  ministry,  sufficiently  teach  us  that 
there  is  no  cause  so  holy,  nor  calling  so  excellent,  as  not 
to  be  subject  to  the  invasion  of  painted  hypocrites. "t  And 
as  Mr.  Bernard  referred  to  many  evils  in  the  primitive 
churches,  as  a  plea  that  the  Church  of  England  might  be 
a  true  church  of  Christ,  notwithstanding  all  her  corrup- 
tions, Robinson  says,  "It  is  true  that  the  apostles  men- 
tioned them,  but  always  with  utter  dislike,  severe  reproof, 
and  strict  charges  to  reform  them.  Rom.  xvi.  17.  1  Cor. 
v.  1  Thess.  V.  14.  2  Thess.  iii.  6.  1  Tim.  vi.  5.  Rev.  ii. 
14 — 16.  20.  But  how  doth  this  concern  you  ?  Though 
Paul  and  all  the  apostles  with  him;  yea,  though  Christ 
himself  from    heaven    should    admonish   any  of  your 

•  Prince's  Chronology,  254.  -j-  Robinson,  53 — 55. 


1613.]  ARMINIAN    CONTROVERSY.  81 

churches  to  put  away  any  person,  though  never  so  here- 
tical or  flagitious,  you  could  not  do  it."*  "  Your  prelates 
govern,  or  rather  reign,  but  teach  not ;  your  parish  priests 
teach  so  much  as  they  dare  for  fear  of  their  imperious 
lords,  but  they  govern  not."t  '<  Nothing  hath  more 
advanced  the  throne  of  antichrist  in  former  days,  nor 
doth  more  uphold  it  at  this  day,  than  the  people's  dis- 
charging themselves  of  the  care  of  public  affairs  in  the 
church,  on  the  one  side,  and  the  priests  and  prelates  arro- 
gating all  to  themselves,  on  the  other." J  "  And  I  doubt 
not  but  Mr.  Bernard,  and  a  thousand  more  ministers  in 
the  land,  (were  they  secure  from  the  magistrates'  sword, 
and  might  they  go  on  with  good  license,)  would  wholly 
shake  ofi*  their  canonical  obedience  to  their  ordinaries, 
and  neglect  their  citations  and  censures,  and  refuse  to  sue 
in  their  courts,  for  all  the  peace  of  the  church,  which  they 
commend  to  us  for  so  sacred  a  thing. "§ 

This  remark  was  plainly  verified  in  the  vast  numbers 
who  afterwards  came  over  to  New  England,  who  did  not 
separate  from  the  national  church  before  they  came  away. 
The  following  account  may  give  us  some  idea  of  his 
views  of  gospel  doctrines.  James  Arminius,  a  professor 
of  divinity  in  the  University  of  Leyden,  died  there  in 
1609;  but  the  opinions  he  had  advanced  have  caused 
much  controversy  ever  since.  It  was  so  sharp  at  Leyden 
in  1612,  between  the  two  professors  in  their  university, 
that  few  of  the  disciples  of  the  one  would  hear  the  other; 
but  Mr.  Robinson,  though  he  preached  thrice  a  week, 
and  wrote  sundry  books,  besides  many  other  labours,  yet 
went  constantly  to  hear  them,  both,  whereby  he  was 
grounded  in  the  controversy,  and  saw  the  force  of  all 
their  arguments.  And  in  1613,  Episcopius  set  forth 
sundry  Arminian  theses  at  Leyden,  which  he  would  de- 
fend in  public  against  all  opposers  ;  upon  which  Polyan- 
der,  and  the  chief  preachers  of  the  city,  desired  Mr. 
Robinson  to  dispute  against  him.  But  being  a  stranger, 
he  was  loath  to  engage.  Yet  the  other  telling  him,  that 
»uch  was   the  ability  and  expertness  of  the   adversary, 

•  Robinson,  82.        f  I^.  359.        ^  lb.  204.        §  lb.  14. 


22  CHURCH     HISTORY   OF    NEW    ENGLAND.        [CH.  I 

that  truth  was  in  danger  of  suffering  if  he  would  not  help 
them,  he  at  length  yields ;  and  when  the  day  came,  he 
defended  the  truth  and  foiled  the  opposer,  so  as  to  put 
him  to  an  apparent  nonplus  in  a  great  and  public  audience. 
The  same  he  does  a  second  and  a  third  time,  upon  like 
occasions  ;  which  caused  many  to  praise  God,  and  highly 
to  esteem  Mr.  Robinson.* 

Thus  it  appears  that  Mr.  Robinson  was  a  firm  believer 
of  those  doctrines  which  are  called  Calvinism,  while  he 
was  earnest  for  allowing  all  men  liberty  of  conscience ; 
and  that  the  contrary  behaviour  of  many  was  not  owing 
to  that  plan  of  doctrine,  but  to  other  causes.  For  the 
rulers  in  Holland  held  firmly  to  that  doctrine,  and  yet  they 
established  such  religious  liberty  as  was  not  then  enjoyed 
in  any  other  part  of  Europe.  But  though  their  religious 
privileges  were  great,  yet  many  other  things  caused  Mr. 
Robinson  and  his  people  to  desires  removal  to  a  better 
country.  For  most  of  them  had  been  bred  to  husbandry, 
which  they  had  not  advantages  to  follow  in  Holland ;  and 
the  language  and  manners  of  the  Dutch  were  not  agreeable 
to  them ;  and  their  little  regard  to  the  Sabbath,  and  other 
religious  duties,  were  offensive  to  them  ;  and  the  climate 
of  the  country  was  not  favourable  to  their  health,  but  their 
children  were  oppressed  with  labour  and  disease,  so  as  to 
abate  the  vigour  of  nature  in  early  age ;  neither  could  they 
be  willing  to  lose  their  interest  in  the  English  nation,  and 
the  government  thereof,  if  they  could  obtain  liberty  of 
conscience  from  thence.  And  they  believed  that  if  they 
could  have  such  liberty  granted  them  in  America,  many 
would  remove  thither,  who  would  enlarge  the  English 
dominions,  and  also  spread  the  light  of  the  gospel  among 
the  heathen.  They  therefore  sent  two  agents  to  England 
in  1617,  to  petition  for  such  liberties  and  privileges. 
And  having  received  some  encouragement  from  the  coun- 
cil there,  who  had  the  care  of  the  American  affairs,  Mr. 
Robinson  and  Elder  Brewster  wrote  to  them  these  en- 
couraging considerations.  "  1.  We  verily  believe  and 
trust  that  the  Lord  is  with  us ;  to  whom  and  whose  service 

*  Prince's  Chronology,  p.  36.  38. 


1620.^  EMIGRATION    TO    AMERICA.  23 

we  have  given  ourselves  in  many  trials,  and  that  he  will 
graciously  prosper  our  endeavours  according  to  the  sim- 
plicity of  our  hearts.  2.  We  are  well  weaned  from  the 
delicate  milk  of  our  mother  country,  and  inured  to  the 
difficulties  of  a  strange  land.  3.  The  people  are,  for  the 
body  of  them,  industrious  and  frugal,  we  think  we  may 
safely  say,  as  any  company  of  people  in  the  world. 
4.  We  are  knit  together  as  a-  body,  in  a  most  strict  and 
sacred  bond  and  covenant  of  the  Lord ;  of  the  violation 
whereof  we  make  great  conscience,  and  by  virtue  whereof 
we  hold  ourselves  straitly  tied  to  all  care  of  each  other's 
good,  and  of  the  whole.  5.  It  is  not  with  us,  as  with  other 
men,  whom  small  things  can  discourage,  and  small  dis- 
couragements cause  to  wish  ourselves  at  home  again."* 
Herein  they  were  not  mistaken,  as  will  soon  appear; 
for  though  contentions  in  said  council,  and  other  things, 
delayed  their  proceedings  for  three  years,  and  they  could 
not  obtain  a  promise  of  liberty  of  conscience  in  this  coun- 
try, but  only  that  the  king  would  connive  at  them,  and 
not  molest  them,  if  they  carried  peaceably,  **yet,  casting 
themselves  on  the  care  of  Providence,  they  resolved  to 
venture."  But  as  they  could  not  obtain  help  enough, 
from  the  merchant  adventurers  in  England,  to  carry  over 
half  of  their  society  at  first,  Mr.  Robinson  was  obliged  to 
stay  with  the  majority  in  Holland,  while  Elder  Brewster 
came  with  the  rest  to  America.  And  before  they  came 
away  Mr.  Robinson  gave  them  this  solemn  advice.  Said 
he,  "  We  are  now  to  part  asunder,  and  the  Lord  knoweth 
whether  I  shall  live  to  see  your  faces  again  :  but  whether 
he  hath  appointed  it  or  not,  I  charge  you  before  God  and 
his  blessed  angels,  to  follow  me  no  further  than  T  have 
followed  Christ.  And  if  God  shall  reveal  any  thing  to 
you  by  any  other  instnimentof  his,  be  as  ready  to  receive 
it  as  ever  you  were  to  receive  any  truth  by  my  ministry  ; 
for  1  am  very  confident  that  the  Lord  has  more  truth  and 
light  yet  to  break  forth  out  of  his  holy  word.  Here  he 
took  occasion  to  bewail  the  state  and  condition  of  the  re- 
formed churches,  who  were  come  to  a  period  in  religion, 

•Prince,  p.  51, 52. 


24  CHURCH     HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.        [CH.  I. 

and  would  go  no  further  than  the  instruments  of  their  re- 
formation. As  for  example,  the  Lutherans  could  not  be 
drawn  to  go  beyond  what  Luther  saw ;  for  whatever  part 
of  God's  will  he  had  further  imparted  and  revealed  to 
Calvin,  they  will  rather  die  than  embrace  it.  And  so 
you  see  the  Calvinists,  they  stick  where  he  left  them,  a 
misery  much  to  be  lamented ;  for  though  they  were  pre- 
cious shining  lights  in  their  times,  yet  God  had  not  re- 
vealed his  whole  will  to  them.  And  were  they  now  liv- 
ing, they  would  be  as  ready  and  willing  to  embrace  further 
light,  as  that  they  had  received.  And  here  I  must  put 
you  in  mind  of  our  church  covenant,  wherein  we  promise 
and  covenant  with  God  and  one  another,  to  receive  what- 
soever light  or  truth  that  shall  be  made  known  to  us  from 
his  written  word.  But  withal  I  exhort  you  to  take  heed 
what  you  receive  for  truth,  and  well  to  examine  and  com- 
pare it  with  other  Scriptures  before  you  receive  it ;  for  it 
is  not  possible  tjiat  the  Christian  world  should  come  so 
lately  out  of  such  thick  antichristian  darkness,  and  that 
full  perfection  of  knowledge  should  break  forth  at  once."* 
And  after  an  affectionate  parting,  Mr.  Robinson,  on 
July  27,  1 620,  sent  them  the  following  letter : 

**  Loving  Christian  Friends, 
'*  I  do  heartily,  and  in  the  Lord  salute  you,  as  being 
those  with  whom  I  am  present  in  my  best  affections,  and 
most  earnest  longing  after  you,  though  I  be  constrained 
for  a  while  to  be  bodily  absent  from  you :  I  say  con- 
strained ;  God  knowing  how  willing,  and  much  rather 
than  otherwise,  I  would  have  borne  my  part  with  you 
in  this  first  brunt,  were  I  not  by  strong  necessity  held 
back  for  the  present.  Make  account  of  me  in  the  mean 
time  as  a  man  divided  in  myself,  with  great  pain  and  as 
(natural  bonds  set  aside)  having  my  better  part  with  you : 
and  although  I  doubt  not  but  in  your  godly  wisdoms  you 
both  foresee  and  resolve  upon  that  which  concerneth  your 
present  state  and  condition,  both  severally  and  jointly ; 
yet  have  I  thought  it  but  my  duty  to  add  some  further 

*  Winslow  against  Gorton,  p.  97,  98. 


1620.]  PASTORAL    LETTER.  25 

spur  of  provocation  unto  them  who  run  already,  if  not 
because  you  need  it,  yet  because  I  owe  it  in  love  and  duty. 
And  first,  as  we  are  daily  to  renew  our  repentance  with 
our  God,  especially  for  our  sins  known,  and  generally 
for  our  unknown  trespasses ;  so  doth  the  Lord  call  us  in 
a  singular  manner,  upon  occasions  of  such  difficulty  and 
danger  as  lieth  upon  you,  to  both  a  narrow  search  and 
careful  reformation  of  your  ways  in  his  sight,  lest  he,  call- 
ing to  remembrance  our  sins  forgotten  by  us,  or  unrepented 
of,  take  advantage  against  us,  and  in  judgment  leave  us  to 
be  swallowed  up  in  one  danger  or  other.  Whereas,  on 
the  contrary,  sin  being  taken  away  by  earnest  repentance, 
and  the  pardon  thereof  from  the  Lord  sealed  up  to  a  man's 
conscience  by  his  Spirit,  great  shall  be  his  security  and 
peace  in  all  dangers,  sweet  his  comforts  in  all  distresses, 
with  happy  deliverance  from  evil,  whether  in  life  or  death. 
*'  Now,  next  after  this  heavenly  peace  with  God  and 
our  consciences,  we  are  carefully  to  provide  for  peace 
with  all  men,  what  lieth  in  us,  especially  with  our  asso- 
ciates ;  and,  for  that  watchfulness  must  be  had,  that  we 
neither  at  all  in  ourselves  do  give,  no,  nor  easily  take 
offence  being  given  by  others.  Wo  be  to  the  world  for 
offences ;  for  although  it  be  necessary,  considering  the 
malice  of  Satan  and  men's  corruptions,  that  offences  come, 
yet  wo  unto  the  man,  or  woman  either,  by  whom  the 
offence  cometh,  -saith  Christ,  Matt,  xviii.  7.  And  if 
offences  in  the  unseasonable  use  of  things  in  themselves 
indifferent  be  more  to  be  feared  than  death  itself,  as  the  ^ 
apostle  teacheth,  1  Cor.  ix.  15,  how  much  more  in  things 
simply  evil,  in  which  neither  the  honour  of  God,  nor  love 
to  man  is  thought  worthy  to  be  regarded  !  Neither  yet  is 
it  sufficient  that  we  keep  ourselves  by  the  grace  of  God 
from  giving  offence,  except  withal  we  be  armed  against 
taking  of  them  when  they  are  given  by  others  ;  for  how 
imperfect  and  lame  is  the  work  of  grace  in  that  person, 
who  wants  charity  to  cover  a  multitude  of  offences  !  as 
the  Scripture  speaks.  Neither  are  you  to  be  exhorted  to 
this  grace,  only  upon  common  grounds  of  Christianity, 
which  are,  that  persons  ready  to  take  offence  either  want 
charity  to  cover  offences,  or  duly  to  weigh  human  frailties  ; 
3 


26     '  CHURCPI     HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.         [cH.  I, 

or,  lastly,  are  gross  though  close  hypocrites,  as  Christ  our 
Lord  teacheth,  Matt.  vii.  1 — 3.  As,  indeed,  in  my  own 
experience,  few  or  none  have  been  found  who  sooner 
give  offence,  than  such  as  easily  take  it ;  neither  have 
they  ever  proved  sound  and  profitable  members  in  socie- 
ties, who  have  nourished  this  touchy  humour.  But, 
besides  these,  there  are  divers  motives  provoking  you 
above  others  to  great  care  and  conscience  of  this  way  ;  as 
first,  there  are  many  of  you  strangers  as  to  the  persons 
so  to  the  infirmities  of  one  another,  and  so  stand  in  need 
of  more  watchfulness  this  way,  lest  when  such  things  fall 
out  in  men  and  women  as  you  expected  not,  you  be  inor- 
dinately affected  with  them,  which  doth  require  at  your 
hands  much  wisdom  and  charity  for  the  covering  and 
preventing  of  incidental  offences  that  way.  And,  lastly 
your  intended  course  of  civil  community*  will  ministe. 
continual  occasion  of  offence,  and  be  as  fuel  for  that  fire, 
except  you  diligently  quench  it  with  brotherly  forbearance. 
And  if  taking  offence  causelessly  or  easily  at  man's 
doings,  be  so  carefully  to  be  avoided,  how  much  more 
heed  is  to  be  taken  that  we  take  not  offence  at  God  him- 
self! which  we  certainly  do,  so  oft  as  we  murmur  at  his 
providence  in  our  crosses,  or  bear  impatiently  such  aflflic- 
tions  wherewith  he  is  pleased  to  visit  us.  Store  up 
therefore  patience  against  the  evil  day  ;  without  which  we 
take  offence  at  the  Lord  himself  in  his  holy  and  just 
works.  There  is  a  fourth  thing  carefully  to  be  provided 
for,  viz. :  That  with  your  common  employments  you  join 
common  affections  tridy  bent  upon  the  general  good, 
avoiding  as  a  deadly  plague  of  both  your  common  and 
special  comforts,  all  retiredness  of  mind  for  proper  advan- 
tage, and  all  singularly  affected  every  manner  of  way  ;  let 
every  man  repress  in  himself,  and  the  whole  body  in  each 
person,  as  so  many  rebels  against  the  common  good,  all 
private  respects  of  men's  selves,  not  sorting  with  the 
general  convenience.  And  as  men  are  careful  not  to  have 
a  new  house  shaken  with  violence,  before  it  be  well  set- 
tled, and  the  parts  firmly  knit ;  so  be  you,  1  beseech  you, 

•  For  seven  years  their  aiSairs  were  managed  in  one  common  stock 


1630.]  PASTORAL   LETTER.  27 

brethren,  much  more  careful  that  the  house  of  God  (which 
you  are)  be  not  shaken  with  unnecessary  novelties,  or 
other  oppositions  at  the  first  settling  thereof. 

"Lastly,  whereas  you  are  to  become  a  body  politic, 
using  civil  government  among  yourselves,  and  are  not 
furnished  with  special  eminency  above  the  rest,  to  be 
chosen  by  you  into  office  of  government ;  let  your  wisdom 
and  godliness  appear,  not  only  in  choosing  such  persons 
as  do  entirely  love,  and  will  promote  the  common  good  ; 
but  also  in  yielding  unto  them  all  due  honour  and  obe- 
dience in  their  lawful  administrations  ;  not  beholding  in 
them  the  ordinariness  of  their  persons,  but  God's  ordinance 
for  your  good ;  not  being  like  the  foolish  multitude,  who  ho- 
nour the  gay  coat  more  than  either  the  virtuous  mind  of  the 
man,  or  the  glorious  ordinance  of  the  Lord;  but  you  know 
better  things,  and  that  the  image  of  the  Lord's  power  and 
authority,  which  the  magistrate  beareth,  is  honourable  in 
how  mean  persons  soever;  and  this  duty  you  may  the 
more  willingly,  and  ought  the  more  conscionably  to  per- 
form, because  you  are  (at  least  for  the  present)  to  have 
them  for  your  ordinary  governors,  which  yourselves  shall 
make  choice  of  for  that  work. 

**  Paiidry  other  things  of  importance  I  could  put. you  in 
mind  of.  and  of  those  before  mentioned  in  more  words; 
but  1  will  not  so  far  wrong  your  godly  minds,  as  to  think 
you  heedless  of  these  things,  there  being  also  divers 
among  you  so'  well  able  both  to  admonish  themselves  and 
others  of  what  concerneth  them.  These  few  things, 
therefore,  and  the  same  in  a  few  words,  I  do  earnestly 
commend  to  your  care  and  conscience,  joining  therein 
with  my  daily  incessant  prayers  unto  the  Lord,  that  he 
who  made  the  heavens,  and  the  earth,  and  sea,  and  all 
rivers  of  water,  and  whose  providence  is  over  all  his 
works,  especially  over  all  his  dear  children  for  good, 
would  so  guide  and  guard  you  in  your  ways,  as  inwardly 
by  his  Spirit,  so  outwardly  by  the  hand  of  his  power,  as 
that  both  you,  and  w^e  also,  for  and  with  you,  may  have 
after  matter  of  praising  his  name  all  the  days  of  your  and 
our  lives.     Fare  you  well  in  him  in  whom  you  trust,  and 


28  CHURCH     HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.        [cH.  I. 

in  whom  I  rest,  an  unfeigned  well-wisher  to  your  happy- 
success  in  your  hopeful  voyage.         John  Robinson."* 

This  they  received  at  Southampton  in  England ;  and 
these  excellent  instructions  had  lasting  influence  upon 
their  posterity.  Two  ships  had  been  provided  to  carry 
them  to  America,  but  after  sailing  twice,  and  turning  back, 
one  of  them  was  left  and  the  other  sailed  from  Plymouth, 
September  6,  and  landed  on  Cape  Cod,  November  11. 
And  as  this  was  northward  of  where  they  had  any  patent, 
they  drew  a  covenant  for  their  civil  government,  which 
was  signed  before  they  landed,  by  John  Carver,  William 
Bradford,  Edward  Winslow,  Isaac  AUerton,  William 
Brewster,  Miles  Standish,  John  Alden,  Samuel  Fuller, 
and  thirty-three  more,  their  whole  number  being  101 
souls.  Mr.  Carver  was  chosen  their  governor ;  and  they 
had  a  tedious  time  to  find  out  a  place  to  settle  in ;  but 
on  December  16,  1620,  the  ship  came  into  the  harbour 
which  they  called  Plymouth,  and  then  they  had  to  build 
themselves  habitations,  in  a  cold  winter  season,  without 
any  friend  to  help  them.  They  intended  to  have  gone  to 
Hudson's  river,  but  the  Dutch  had  hired  the  master  of  the 
ship  deceitfully  to  prevent  it ;  though  God  meant  it  for 
their  good ;  for  the  Indians  were  numerous  there,  while 
there  were  none  here.  A  great  sickness  a  few  years 
before  had  laid  this  place  desolate,  and  had  swept  off 
most  of  the  Indians  for  forty  miles  round,  so  that  those 
who  remained  were  glad  of  their  help  against  the  Narra- 
gansets,  where  the  sickness  did  not  reach  ;  and  here  were 
fields  ready  cleared  for  them,  who  had  no  cattle  to  help 
them  till  several  years  after. 

How  wonderful  are  the  works  of  God !  Yea,  and  his 
judgments  are  a  great  deep ;  for  by  reason  of  their  long 
voyage,  and  the  difficulties  of  the  winter  following, 
without  good  accommodations,  near  half  of  their  company 
died  in  six  months,  among  whom  was  Governor  Carver 
and  his  wife.  Yet  the  survivors  were  wonderfully  sup- 
ported, and  the  chief  sachem  of  the  Indians  in  these  parts 

*  Morton,  p.  7 — 10. 


1623.]  EARLY    PRIVATIONS.  29 

came  to  Plymouth,  in  March,  1621,  and  entered  into  a 
friendly  covenant  with  them,  which  lasted  all  their  days. 
Afterwards  some  friends  in  England  wrote  to  them,  and 
said,  "  we  are  still  persuaded,  you  are  the  people  that  must 
make  a  plantation,  and  erect  a  city  in  those  remote  places, 
when  all  others  fail."*  And  they  will  be  remembered  to 
the  latest  posterity. 

Massassoit,  the  sachem  who  had  made  a  league  with 
them,  having  found  out  a  plot  which  was  laid  against  the 
English  in  the  spring  of  1623,  by  some  Indians  in  Mas- 
sachusetts bay,  informed  our  fathers  of  Plymouth  of  it, 
and  advised  them  to  cut  off  a  few  leaders  in  it,  whom  he 
named,  which  they  did,  and  so  the  plot  was  entirely 
crushed.!  Such  a  scarcity  also  came  upon  them  in  that 
year,  that  they  had  no  bread  at  Plymouth  from  the  time 
of  their  planting  until  their  corn  was  grown ;  but  they 
lived  upon  fish,  deer,  fowls,  and  ground  nuts.  And  to  add 
to  their  trials,  a  great  drought  came  on  with  heat,  from 
the  third  week  in  May  to  the  middle  of  July,  so  that 
their  corn  withered  as  if  it  were  dead ;  and  a  ship  which 
they  had  long  expected  did  not  arrive,  but  they  thought 
Aey  saw  signs  of  its  being  wrecked  on  the  coasts.  This 
was  distressing  indeed ;  but  their  authority  set  apart  a 
day  of  fasting  and  prayer  to  seek  help  from  their  God, 
and  they  found  it  was  not  in  vain ;  for  though  the  former 
part  of  the  day  was  clear  and  hot,  yet  before  their  exercise 
was  over  the  clouds  gathered,  and  distilled  next  morning 
in  gentle  showers,  and  so  for  fourteen  days  together, 
which  revived  their  corn  and  other  fruits,  so  that  they  had 
a  plentiful  harvest.  And  soon  after,  the  ship  which  they 
expected  arrived,  and  another  in  a  few  days,  wherein 
came  sixty  of  their  friends. J  And  they  never  had  such 
scarcity  afterwards. 

Mr.  Robinson  and  the  most  of  his  people  were  detained 
in  Holland,  until,  after  a  short  sickness,  he  died  there  on 
March  1,  1625,  in  the  fiftieth  year  of  his  age,  greatly 
lamented  by  his  people  both  there  and  here.     His  family 


*  Historical  Society,  vol.  iii.  p.  33. 

j-  Prince,  p.  129—133.  t  lb.  p.  137—139. 

3* 


30  CHURCH     HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.      [cH.  II. 

came  over  afterwards,  and  his  son  Isaac  lived  to  be  above 
ninety  years  old,  and  left  male  posterity  in  the  county  of 
Barnstable.  The  company  of  adventurers  in  England 
would  not  be  at  the  expense  of  conveying  these  and  others 
from  Leyden,  and  yet  demanded  the  pay  for  their  former 
expenses.  Therefore,  in  1628,  their  friends  here  engaged 
to  do  it,  when  William  Bradford,  Miles  Standish,  Isaac 
AUerton,  Edward  Winslow,  William  Brewster,  John 
Howland,  John  Alden,  and  Thomas  Prince,  with  four 
friends  in  London,  after  having  the  trade  of  this  colony 
secured  to  them,  undertook  to  pay  the  debts  of  the  colony 
in  England,  which  were  eighteen  hundred  pounds  sterling, 
and  also  to  bring  those  friends  over.*  And  in  August, 
1629,  thirty-five  families  arrived  at  Plymouth,  from  Ley- 
den, the  transporting  of  whom  cost  five  hundred  and  fifty 
pounds  sterling,  besides  supporting  of  them  above  a  year 
more,  till  they  had  a  harvest  of  their  own,  all  which  was 
freely  given  them.t  A  wonderful  instance  of  Christian 
generosity. 

On  January  13,  1630,  the  council  for  New  England 
gave  a  patent  to  William  Bradford  and  his  associates  and 
assigns  of  all  that  part  of  New  England  between  Cohasset 
rivulet  towards  the  north,  and  Narraganset  river  towards 
the  south,  the  western  ocean  towards  the  east,  and  between 
a  straight  line  directly  extending  up  into  the  main  land 
toward  the  north  from  the  mouth  of  Narraganset  river,  to 
the  utmost  bounds  of  a  country  in  New  England,  called 
Pacanokit,  alias  Swamset,  westward,  and  another  straight 
line  extending  directly  from  the  mouth  of  Cohasset  river 
towards  the  west,  so  far  into  the  main  land  westward  as 
to  the  utmost  limits  of  the  said  Pacanokit  or  Swamset 
extend ;  and  also  a  tract  of  land  extending  fifteen  miles 
wide  on  each  side  of  Kennebeck  river,  &c.J  and  this  con- 
tinued a  distinct  government  until  1692.  In  1621,  they 
chose  a  governor  and  one  assistant  with  him;  in  1624, 
they  chose  five  assistants ;  and  in  1633,  they  chose  a 
governor  and  seven  assistants,  and  continued  that  number 
as  long  as  they  remained  a  distinct  government. 

*  Historical  Collections  at  Boston,  1794,  p.  61. 

t  Prince,  p.  168.  192.  +  lb.  p.  196,  197. 


1630.]  CHURCH    ORDER.  ^1 

As  to  the  government  of  the  church,  they  held  the  power 
to  be  in  each  particular  church,  to  receive  and  exclude 
members,  and  to  choose  and  ordain  officers,  though  they 
would  act  in  fellowship  with  sister  churches.  As  to  offi- 
cers, they  held  to  having  pastors,  ruling  elders,  and  dea- 
cons. Their  ruling  elders  were  to  have  the  gifts  of  public 
teachers,  but  not  to  administer  the  ordinances  of  baptism 
and  the  holy  supper.  Such  was  Mr.  William  Brewster, 
from  their  first  coming  to  this  land,  until  he  died  in  1644. 
They  also  held  that  every  brother  in  the  church  might 
improve  his  gifts  in  public  Reaching,  if  he  had  gifts  that 
could  edify  the  brethren,  to  whom  they  were  to  be  sub- 
ject. Some  of  their  proofs  for  it  were  these:  One  apos- 
tle says,  "  he  that  prophesieth,  speaketh  unto  men  to 
edification,  and  exhortation,  and  comfort.  And  ye  may 
all  prophesy  one  by  one,  that  all  may  learn,  and  all  may 
be  comforted."  1  Cor.  xiv.  3.  31.  And  another  says, 
"  As  every  man  hath  received  the  gift,  even  so  minister 
the  same  one  to  another,  as  good  stewards  of  the  manifold 
grace  of  God.  If  any  man  speak,  let  him  speak  as  the 
oracles  of  God ;  if  any  man  minister,  let  him  do  it  as  of 
the  ability  which  God  giveth ;  that  God  in  all  things  may 
be  glorified  through  Jesus  Christ."  1  Pet.  iv.  10,  11.* 
Though  they  took  much  pains,  yet  they  never  obtained  a 
pastor  here,  until  Mr.  Ralph  Smith  came  over  with  the 
Salem  company,  in  1629,  and  not  being  wanted  there,  he 
came  that  year  to  Plymouth,  and  was  their  pastor  about 
six  years. 

*  Robinson  against  Bernard,  235. 


32  CHURCH     HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.       [CH.  II. 


CHAPTER  II. 

A  church  settled  at  Salem — Governor  Winthrop  comes  over  with  their 
charter — Church  and  State  united — Williams  banished — His  great 
service  in  the  Pequot  war — A  synod  at  Cambridge — A  new  court 
called,  who  punished  many  whom  the  synod  had  condemned. 

After  our  fathers  at  Plymouth,  through  great  dangers 
and  difficulties,  had  prepared  the  way,  many  who  disliked 
the  corruptions  and  oppressions  in  the  Church  of  England 
made  preparations  for  a  removal  into  this  country.  Mr. 
John  White,  a  minister  at  Dorchester  in  England,  pre- 
vailed with  a  number  of  wealthy  men  to  write  over  to 
Roger  Conant  and  others,  who  were  scattered  in  different 
places,  to  repair  to  Cape  Ann,  and  they  would  send  over 
money  and  goods  to  assist  them  in  planting  and  fishing ; 
and  they  did  so  with  success.  And  on  March  19,  1628, 
the  council  for  the  affairs  of  New  England  sold  to  a  num- 
ber of  men,  their  heirs  and  associates,  that  part  of  New 
England  which  lies  between  lines  drawn  three  miles  north 
of  every  part  of  Merrimack  river,  and  three  miles  south 
of  every  part  of  Charles  river  and  Massachusetts  bay,  and 
extending  west  from  the  Atlantic  ocean  to  the  south  sea. 
And  they  sent  over  Mr.  John  Endicot  as  governor  of  said 
people,  who  made  Salem  to  be  their  chief  town ;  and  on 
March  4,  1629,  King  Charles  granted  the  Massachusetts 
charter,  including  all  the  lands  before  described,  to  be 
holden  of  him  and  his  heirs  and  successors.  And  Mr. 
Francis  Higginson  and  Samuel  Skelton,  with  two  other 
ministers  and  above  three  hundred  persons  with  them, 
came  over  to  Salem,  and  gathered  a  church,  and  ordained 
these  two  ministers  on  August  6,  1629,  and  also  a  ruling 
elder;  and  they  received  the  right  hand  of  fellowship 
from  the  church  of  Plymouth  the  same  day.*  So  early 
did  they  join  with  those  here,  whom  many  had  censured 

*Prince,p.83. 190, 191 


1630.]  SALEM    AND    BOSTON    FOUNDED.  33 

for  separating  from  the  church  of  England  in  their  native 
country. 

And  on  June  12,  1630,  Governor  Winthrop  arrived  at 
Salem ;  and  about  fifteen  hundred  people  came  over  that 
year,  bringing  the  Massachusetts  charter  with  them,  and 
the  churches  of  Boston,  Dorchester,  and  Watertown, 
were  soon  formed  and  organized  like  Salem,  as  Charles- 
town  also  was  in  1632.  At  first  they  received  members 
by  a  general  declaration  of  their  faith,  and  the  discovery 
of  a  regular  walk  ;  but  they  afterwards  required  of  each 
one  an  account  of  a  change  of  heart  by  the  work  of  God's 
Spirit.  Mr.  John  Wilson  was  the  first  pastor  of  the 
church  of  Charlestown  and  Boston,  who  was  ordained, 
with  a  ruling  elder  and  two  deacons,  August  27,  1630. 
Governor  Winthrop  says,  *'  We  used  imposition  of  hands, 
but  with  this  protestation  by  all,  that  it  was  only  a  sign 
of  election  and  confirmation,  not  of  any  intent  that  Mr. 
Wilson  should  renounce  his  ministry  he  received  in  Eng- 
land."* But  he  afterwards  informs  us,  that  when  a  mi- 
nister had  resigned  his  pastoral  charge  of  any  church,  he 
was  then  "  no  minister,"  by  the  received  determination  of 
their  churches ;  and  also  that  they  did  not  allow  any  elders 
to  lay  on  hands  in  ordinations,  but  those  who  were  of  the 
church  where  the  ordination  was.f  But  in  1648,  that  li- 
berty was  granted  in  their  platform. 

The  General  Court  at  Boston,  May  18,  1631,  made  a 
law  that  no  man  should  hereafter  be  admitted  as  a  freeman, 
to  have  a  vote  in  their  government,  but  a  member  in  some 
of  their  churches.  On  Sept.  4,  1633,  arrived  a  ship,  in 
which  came  John  Cotton,  Thomas  Hooker,  and  Samuel 
Stone,  ministers,  and  John  Haynes,  afterwards  Governor 
of  Massachusetts,  and  then  of  Connecticut.  Mr.  Cotton 
was  soon  settled  in  the  ministry,  at  Boston,  where  he  had 
as  much  influence,  both  in  the  civil  and  ecclesiastical 
affairs  of  the  country,  as  any  one  man  therein,  for  near 
twenty  years,  till  he  died.  But  Mr.  Hooker  could  not 
agree  with  him  in  somethings  of  great  importance,  though 
he  did  in  others.     Hooker  and  Stone  settled  first  at  Cam- 

*  Journal,  p.  20.  f  ^^'  P-  ^^^'  ^^^* 


34  CHURCH     HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.       [CH.  11. 

bridge,  and  then  removed  with  many  others  to  Hartford, 
in  1636,  and  were  leaders  in  the  colony  of  Connecticut, 
where  men  were  received  to  be  freemen  who  were  not 
members  of  their  churches.  They  also  held  that  none 
had  a  right  to  bring  their  children  to  baptism  but  commu- 
nicants, while  Cotton  was  for  others  doing  it,  if  they 
were  not  scandalous.  And  he  was  for  carrying  the  power 
of  councils  higher  than  Hooker  would. 

Governor  Winthrop  gives  the  following  account  of  the 
manner  of  their  forming  churches,  and  receiving  members 
into  them,  which  was  soon  established.  It  was,  that 
where  a  church  was  designed  to  be  gathered,  their  chief 
rulers  and  ministers  must  be  convened,  and  those  who 
were  to  be  the  first  members  of  the  church  were  to  tell 
their  experiences  before  them,  and  have  their  approbation, 
or  else  they  were  not  to  proceed.  Of  this  he  relates  the 
following  example.  In  1635,  the  most  of  the  church  in 
Dorchester,  with  their  minister,  removed  up,  and  planted 
Windsor,  and  began  the  colony  of  Connecticut;  in  which 
year  Mr.  Richard  Mather  came  over  and  settled  in  Dor- 
chester. And  on  April  11,  1636,  many  rulers  and  mi- 
nisters met  there  for  the  purpose  of  forming  a  new  church ; 
but  it  was  not  done,  because  the  most  of  those  who  in- 
tended to  be  members  were  thought  not  meet  "at  present 
to  be  the  foundation  of  a  church,  because  they  had  built 
their  hopes  of  salvation  upon  unsound  grounds,  viz. : 
"  Some  upon  dreams  and  ravishes  of  spirit  by  fits  ;  others 
upon  the  reformation  of  their  lives  ;  others  upon  duties 
and  performances,  <fcc.  wherein  they  discovered  three 
special  errors.  1.  That  they  had  not  come  to  hate  sin  • 
because  it  is  filthy,  but  only  left  it  because  it  is  hurtful. 
2.  That  by  reason  of  this  they  had  never  truly  closed 
with  Christ,  (or  rather  Christ  with  them,)  but  had  made 
use  of  him  only  to  help  the  imperfection  of  their  sanctifi- 
cation  and  duties,  and  not  made  him  their  sanctification, 
wisdom,  <fec.  3.  They  expected  to  believe  by  some 
power  of  their  own,  and  not  only  and  wholly  from  Christ.-' 
These  are  the  views  that  Governor  Winthrop  had  of 
Christian  experiences,  and  of  how  churches  should   be 


;j 


1633.]  ROGER   WILLIAMS.  35 

gathered.     And  satisfaction  was  gained  the  fall  after,  when 
a  church  was  gathered  there.* 

Perhaps  he,  and  many  rulers  and  teachers  among  them,  j 
were  as  wise  and  pious  men  as  any  who  ever  undertook 
to  establish  religion  upon  earth  by  human  laws,  enforced 
by  the  sword  of  the  magistrate ;  and  the  evils  which  they 
ran  into  ought  to  be  imputed  to  that  principle,  and  not  to 
any  others  which  they  held  that  were  agreeable  to  the 
gospel.  But  as  their  persecutors  in  England  were  then 
exerting  all  their  influence  to  bring  these  people  again 
under  their  power  in  religious  matters,  they  took  such 
measures  to  defend  themselves  as  cannot  be  justified ;  and 
as  Mr.  Roger  Williams  earnestly  laboured  to  prevent 
those  measures,  and  to  promote  the  establishment  of  full 
liberty  of  conscience  in  this  country,  they  bent  all  their 
power  against  him. 

According  to  his  own  account,  and  good  information 
from  others,  he  was  born  in  Wales,  in  1599,  and  he  had 
the  early  patronage  of  the  famous  Sir  Edward  Coke  ;  was 
educated  at  the  University  of  Oxford,  and  was  introduced 
into  the  ministry  in  the  Church  of  England.  But  he  soon 
found  that  he  could  not  in  conscience  conform  to  many 
things  in  their  worship ;  therefore  he  came  over  to  this 
country,  and  arrived  at  Boston,  in  February,  1631 ;  and  in 
April,  he  was  called  to  preach  at  Salem;  but  as  he  had 
refused  to  commune  with  the  church  at  Boston,  and  ob- 
jected against  the  oaths  which  they  took  when  they  came 
out  of  England,  and  the  force  in  religious  affairs  which 
they  exercised  here,  the  court  at  Boston  wrote  to  Salem 
against  him,  upon  which  he  went  to  Plymouth,  where  he 
preached  above  two  years,  and  was  highly  esteemed  by 
Governor  Bradford  and  others.  Mr.  Prince  supposed 
that  he  had  taken  the  oath  of  a  freeman  at  Boston,  in 
May,  1631,  because  a  man  of  his  name  is  upon  their 
records  in  that  month ;  but  this  was  an  evident  mistake, 
and  I  found  a  Roger  Williams  upon  their  records  the  fall 
before  this  minister  came  to  America.  As  these  colonies 
had  received  the  grant  of  American  lands  from  the  kings 

*  Winthrop,  p.  98.  105. 


36  CHURCH     HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.       [CH.  II. 

of  England,  Mr.  Williams  wrote  his  thoughts  against  it 
while  he  lived  at  Plymouth,  which  some  liked,  and 
others  did  not ;  and  as  Mr.  Skelton  was  sick  at  Salem, 
Williams  was  invited  there  to  preach  in  his  place,  and  he 
obtained  a  dismission  in  the  summer  of  1633,  and  preacljed 
there  till  Skelton  died,  August  2,  1634,  after  which  he 
was  ordained  in  Salem.  He  had  spoken  against  the 
meeting  of  ministers  by  themselves,  once  a  fortnight, 
fearing  that  it  might  grow  in  time  to  a  presbytery  or  su- 
perintendency  over  the  churches  ;*  and  greater  difficulties 
soon  followed. 

Their  charter  gave  them  no  power  to  make  any  laws 
contrary  to  the  laws  of  England,  and  they  had  sworn  to 
act  accordingly;  yet  when  they  met  at  Boston,  May  14, 
1634,  before  they  elected  their  officers,  the  assembly 
passed  an  act  which  said,  '*  It  was  agreed  and  ordered, 
that  the  former  oath  of  freemen  shall  be  revoked,  so  far  as 
it  is  dissonant  from  the  oath  of  freemen  hereunder  written, 
and  that  those  that  received  the  former  oath  shall  stand 
bound  no  further  thereby,  to  any  intent  or  purpose,  than 
this  new  oath  ties  them  that  now  take  the  same. 

THE    OATH    OF    A     FREEMAN. 

"  I,  A.  B.,  being  by  God's  providence  an  inhabitant  and 
freeman  in  this  Commonweal,  do  freely  acknowledge 
myself  to  be  subject  to  the  government  thereof,  and  there- 
fore, do  here  swear  by  the  great  and  dreadful  name  of  the 
everliving  God,  that  I  will  be  true  and  faithful  to  the  same, 
and  will  accordingly  yield  assistance  and  support  hereunto 
with  my  person  and  estate  as  in  equity  I  am  bound,  and 
will  also  truly  endeavour  to  maintain  and  preserve  all  the 
liberties  and  privileges  thereof;  submitting  myself  to  the 
wholesome  laws  and  orders  made  and  established  by  the 
same.  And  further,  that  I  will  not  plot  nor  practise  any 
evil  against  it,  nor  consent  to  any  that  shall  so  do ;  but 
will  truly  discover  and  reveal  the  same  to  lawful  authority 
now  here  established,  for  the  speedy  preventing  thereof. 
Moreover,  I  do  solemnly  bind  myself  in  the  sight  of  God, 

*  Winthrop,  p.  57. 


1635.]  THE  freeman's  oath.  37 

that  when  I  shall  be  called  to  give  my  voice  touching  any 
such  matters  of  this  state  wherein  freemen  are  to  deal,  I 
will  give  my  vote  and  suffrage  as  I  shall  judge  in  mine 
own  conscience  may  best  conduce  and  tend  to  the  public 
weal  of  the  body;  without  respect  of  persons  or  favour  of 
any  man;  so  help  me  God  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ." 

And  it  appears  that  they  never  acted  any  more  in  the 
name  of  the  kings  of  England,  until  after  1660.  Ahd 
what  a  stretch  of  arbitrary  power  was  this !  Yet  men 
might  still  choose  whether  they  would  take  this  oath  or 
not,  if  they  would  be  content  not  to  be  freemen.  But 
when  they  met  again,  March  4,  1635,  they  enacted, 
**  That  every  man  of  or  above  the  age  of  sixteen  years, 
who  hath  been  or  shall  hereafter  be  resident  within  this 
jurisdiction  by  the  space  of  six  months,  (as  well  servants 
as  others,)  and  not  infranchised,  shall  take  the  oath  of  re- 
sidents, before  the  governor,  deputy  governor,  or  two  of 
the  next  assistants,  who  shall  have  power  to  convent  him 
for  that  purpose ;  and  upon  his  refusal,  to  bind  him  over 
to  the  next  court  of  assistants,  and  upon  his  refusal  the 
second  time  to  be  punished  at  the  discretion  of  the  court. 
It  is  ordered  that  the  freeman's  oath  shall  be  given  to 
every  man  of  or  above  the  age  of  sixteen  years,  the  clause 
for  election  of  magistrates  only  excepted." 

Now  as  this  act  was  to  bind  all,  Mr.  Williams  openly 
preached  against  it  at  Salem,  for  which  the  governor  and 
assistants  convented  him  before  them  on  April  30 ;  but  he 
refused  to  retract  what  he  had  done,  and  Mr.  Cotton  says, 
**  The  court  was  forced  to  desist  from  that  proceeding."* 
Indeed  he  calls  it  the  first  of  these  acts,  but  Governor 
Winthrop  shews  it  to  be  the  second.t  And  because  of  it, 
they  at  their  meeting  in  May  took  away  some  land  from 
Salem,  by  an  act  which  said,  "  The  land  betwixt  the  Clift 
and  the  Forest  river,  near  Marblehead,  shall  for  the  pre- 
sent be  improved  by  John  Humphrey,  Esq. ;  and  as  the 
inhabitants  of  Marblehead  shall  stand  in  need  of  it,  the 
said  John  Humphrey  shall  part  with  it,  the  said  inhabitants 
allowing  him  equal  recompense  for  his  labour  and. cost 

•  Tenet  washed,  part  second,  p.  29.  -(•  Journal,  p,  80. 

4 


38  CHURCH     HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.       [CH.  II, 

bestowed  thereupon ;  provided,  that  if  in  the  mean  time 
the  inhabitants  of  Salem  can  satisfy  the  court  that  they 
have  a  true  right  unto  it,  that  then  it  shall  belong  unto  the 
inhabitants  thereof."  And  how  was  that  satisfaction  to 
be  given  ?  Why,  they  gave  up  Mr.  Williams  in  the  fall 
after ;  and  when  the  court  met,  March  3,  1636,  they  said, 
"  It  was  proved  this  court  that  Marbleneck  belongs  to 
Salem." 

Thus  it  stands  upon  their  records,  though  Mr.  Cotton 
pretends  that  Salem  only  petitioned  for  land  in  May, 
1635  ;  instead  of  their  having  some  taken  from  them,  until 
they  gave  him  up.  That  act  of  taking  land  from  them, 
appeared  so  evil  to  Mr.  Williams  and  his  church,  that 
they  wrote  letters  of  reproof  to  the  churches  where  those 
rulers  belonged ;  upon  which  their  rulers  and  ministers 
met  in  July,  and  gave  Williams  notice  that  he  should  be 
banished  if  he  did  not  give  them  satisfaction ;  and  Salem 
church  yielded  so  much  to  them,  that  he  left  preaching  to 
them  in  August.  And  when  the  court  met  in  September, 
Governor  Winthrop  says,  "  Mr.  Endicot  made  a  protes- 
tation in  justification  of  the  letters  formerly  sent  from 
Salem  to  other  churches  against  the  magistrates  and  de- 
puties, for  which  he  was  committed,  but  the  same  day  he 
came  and  acknowledged  his  fault,  and  was  discharged."* 
He  afterwards  acted  at  the  head  of  their  government  in 
hanging  the  Quakers ;  but  as  Williams  remained  steadfast, 
their  records  say, 

"  Whereas  Mr.  Roger  Williams,  one  of  the  elders  of 
the  church  of  Salem,  hath  broached  and  divulged  divers 
new  and  dangerous  opinions  against  the  authority  of  ma- 
gistrates, as  also  writ  letters  of  defamation  both  of  the 
magistrates  and  churches  here,  and  that  before  any  con- 
viction, and  yet  maintaineth  the  same  without  any  retrac- 
tion ;  it  is  therefore  ordered,  that  the  said  Mr.  Williams 
shall  depart  out  of  this  jurisdiction  within  six  weeks  now 
next  ensuing ;  which  if  he  neglect  to  perform,  it  shall  be 
lawful  for  the  governor  and  two  magistrates  to  send  him 
to  some  place  out  of  this  jurisdiction,  nit  to  return  any 
more  without  leave  from  the  court." 
*  Journal,  p.  84.  86. 


1636.]  ROGER    WILLIAMS    BANISHED.  39 

As  he  did  not  go,  they  sent  for  him  to  come  to  Boston, 
in  January,  1636,  but  he  sent  an  excuse  for  not  coming  ; 
upon  which  they  sent  an  officer  to  take  him,  and  to  convey 
him  on  board  a  ship  bound  for  England ;  but  when  the 
officer  got  to  Salem,  he  had  been  gone  three  days.*  He 
first  went  to  the  place  since  called  Rehoboth ;  but  Go- 
vernor Winslbw  wrote  to  him,  that  he  was  then  within 
Plymouth  colony,  but  if  he  would  only  go  over  the  river, 
he  would  be  out  of  it,  and  be  as  free  as  themselves.  And 
he  readily  did  so,  and  obtained  a  grant  of  lands  from  the 
Narraganset  Indians,  where  he  began  the  first  civil  go- 
vernment upon  earth  that  gave  equal  liberty  of  conscience. 
Though  before  he  obtained  it,  he  says,  *'  I  was  sorely 
tossed  for  fourteen  weeks,  in  a  bitter  winter  season,  not 
knowing  what  bread  or  bed  did  mean."t  And  from  a 
view  of  the  great  things  which  God  had  done  for  him,  he 
called  the  place  Providence. 

The  nature  of  true  liberty  of  conscience  was  very  little 
understood  then  in  the  world.  A»d  as  God  had  brought 
the  people  here,  out  of  an  Egyptian  bondage,  and  given 
-them  a  good  land,  they  imagined  that  they  ought  to  imitate 
the  chi^lrcn  of  Israel,  in  punishing  the  wicked,  and  in 
establip^ing  a  holy  government  in  this  great  country 
And  from  hence,  they  who  opposed  such  a  great  and  good 
work,  appeared  to  them  exceedingly  criminal.  A  noted 
man,  who  was  then  active  among  them,  thought  that 
Christ  called  tliem,  not  only  to  assist  in  building  up  his 
churches,  but  also  in  pulling  down  the  kingdom  of  anti- 
christ ;  and  that  he  said  to  them,  "  You  are  not  set  up  for 
tolerating  times,  nor  shall  any  of  you  be  content  with  this, 
that  you  are  set  at  liberty,  but  take  up  your  arms,  and  march 
manfully  on  till  all  opposers  of  Christ's  kingly  power  are 
abolished.  Have  you  not  the  blessedest  opportunity  put 
into  your  hands  that  ever  any  people  had  ?  Then  fail  not 
in  prosecution  of  the  work,  for  your  Lord  hath  furnished 
you  with  able  pilots,  to  steer  the  helm  in  a  godly,  peace- 
able civil  government  also ;  then  see  that  you  make  choice 
of  such  as  are  found  both  in  profession  and  confession, 
men  fearing  God  and  hating  bribes  ;  whose  commission  is 
*  Journal,  p.  92.  j-  Historical  Society,  vol,  i.  p.  276. 


1 


40  CHURCH     HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.       [CH.  II. 

not  limited  to  the  commands  of  the  second  table,  but  they 
are  to  look  to  the  rules  of  the  first  also  ;  and  let  them  be 
sure  to  put  on  Joshua's  resolution  and  courage,  never  to 
make  a  league  with  any  of  these  seven  sectaries.  The 
Gortonists,  who  deny  the  humanity  of  Christ,  and  most 
blasphemously  and  proudly  profess  themselves  to  be  per- 
sonally Christ.  2.  The  Papists,  who  with  almost  equal 
blasphemy  and  pride  prefer  their  own  merits  and  works 
of  supererogation  as  equal  with  Christ's  invaluable  death 
and  sufferings.  3.  The  Familists,  who  depend  upon  rare 
revelations,  and  forsake  the  sure  revealed  word  of  Christ. 
4.  The  Seekers,  who  deny  the  churches  and  ordinances 
of  Christ.  5.  Antinomians,  who  deny  the  moral  law  to 
be  the  rule  of  Christ.  6.  Anabaptists,  who  deny  civil 
government  to  be  proved  of  Christ.  7.  The  Prelacy, 
who  will  have  their  own  injunctions  submitted  unto  in  the 
churches  of  Christ."* 

Here  we  may  plainly  learn  the  cause  why  Mr.  Williams 
was  treated  so  cruelly.  But  as  God  overruled  the  cruel 
selling  of  Joseph  to  the  heathen,  as  a  means  of  saving  the 
lives  of  many  people  ;  so  the  banishing  of  Mr.  Williams 
made  him  a  chief  instrument  of  saving  all  the  English  in 
New  England  from  destruction.  For  he  had  obtained 
much  knowledge  of  the  Indian  language,  and  friendship 
with  them,  when  a  war  was  ready  to  break  out  with  the 
most  powerful  nation  in  the  land.  Of  this  a  concise  view 
was  given,  by  Governor  Trumbull  and  the  general  court 
of  Connecticut,  in  1774,  in  answer  to  a  query  from  Eng- 
land, to  know  by  what  title  they  held  their  lands.  Upon 
it,  they  said,  "  The  original  title  to  the  lands  on  which 
the  colony  was  first  settled,  was  at  the  time  the  English 
came  hither,  in  the  Pequot  nation  of  Indians,  who  were 
numerous  and  warlike  ;  their  country  extended  from  Nar- 
raganset  to  Hudson's  river,  and  over  all  Long  Island. 
Sassacus,  their  great  sagamore,  had  under  him  twenty-six 
sachems  :  he  injuriously  made  war  upon  the  English  ;  he 
exercised  despotic  dominion  over  his  subjects ;  he  with  all 
his  sachems  and  people  were  conquered,  and  made  tribu- 

*  Johnson,  p.  7,  8. 


1635.]  PEQIJOT   WAR.  41 

taries  to  the  English.  The  war  being  ended,  considera- 
tions and  settlements  were  made  with  such  sachems  and 
people  as  remained,  who  came  in  and  received  full  con- 
tentment and  satisfaction."* 

Some  Indians  up  Connecticut  river  had  been  so  much 
oppressed  by  Sassacus,  that  they  came  down  to  Plymouth 
and  Boston,  so  early  as  1631,  to  get  some  of  the  English 
to  go  up  and  settle  there. t  And  they  afterwards  went  up 
to  trade  there  several  times,  before  they  planted  Windsor, 
and  began  a  fort  at  Saybrook,  in  1635,  and  Hartford  in 
1636.  But  the  Pequots  killed  several  men,  from  time  to 
time,  until  they  murdered  John  Oldham,  near  Block 
Island,  because  they  went  to  trade  that  way.  Mr.  Wil- 
liams began  at  Providence  in  the  spring  of  1636,  just  before 
Oldham  was  killed,  the  news  of  which  they  first  received 
from  him  at  Boston,  July  26 ;  upon  which  the  governor 
there  wrote  to  him  to  use  all  his  influence  with  the  Narra- 
gansets,  to  obtain  their  help  against  the  Pequots.  This 
he  did  so  expeditiously,  as  to  return  their  answer  July  30. 
Messengers  were  then  sent  to  the  Narragansets,  who  re- 
turned to  Boston  with  a  favourable  aiiswer  on  August  13. 
An  army  was  then  sent  round  by  water,  to  revenge  the 
death  of  Oldham,  and  to  try  to  bring  the  Pequots  to 
terms  ;  but  they  returned  without  success.J  Upon  a  sight 
of  their  danger,  the  Pequots  sent  directly  to  the  Narra- 
gansets, with  whom  they  had  been  at  war  several  years, 
and  desired  that  they  would  make  peace  with  them,  and 
for  all  to  join  together,  and  to  drive  the  English  out  of  the 
country;  saying,  ''  If  you  should  help  the  English  to  sub- 
due us,  you  would  thereby  make  way  for  your  own  ruin ; 
and  we  need  not  come  to  open  battle  with  them,  but  only 
fire  their  houses,  kill  their  cattle,  and  lie  in  wait  and  shoot 
thpm  as  they  go  about  their  business,  and  they  will  soon 
be  forced  to  leave  the  country,  and  the  Indians  not  be  ex- 
posed to  much  hazard. "II 

What  policy  was  here  !  and  what  would  the  English 
have  done,  if  they  had  sent  Williams  out  of  the  country 

•  Said  answer,  p.  4.  j-  Winthrop,  p.  25. 

^  Winthrop,  p.  103 — 105.  |  Preface  to  Mason's  History,  p.  4 

4* 


42  CHURCH     HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.       [CH    II. 

as  they  intended  ?  But  a  kind  Providence  prevented  it, 
and  he  now  wrote  an  account  of  these  things  to  Boston ; 
upon  which  they  sent  to  him,  to  do  his  utmost  for  their 
relief;  and  he  says,  "  The  Lord  helped  me  immediately 
to  put  my  life  in  my  hand,  and,  scarce  acquainting  my 
wife,  to  ship  myself  all  alone  in  a  poor  canoe,  and  to  cut 
through  a  stormy  wind  with  great  seas,  every  minute  in 
hazard  of  life,  to  the  sachem's  house.  Three  days  and 
nights  my  business  forced  me  to  lodge  and  mix  with  the 
bloody  Pequot  ambassadors,  whose  hands  and  arms  me- 
thought  reeked  with  the  blood  of  my  countrymen,  mur- 
dered and  massacred  by  them  on  Connecticut  river,  and 
from  whom  I  could  not  but  nightly  look  for  their  bloody 
knives  at  my  own  throat  also.  But  God  \vt)nderfully 
preserved  me,  and  helped  me  to  break  to  pieces  their 
design,  and  to  make,  promote,  and  finish,  by  many  travels 
and  charges,  the  English  league  with  the  Narragansets 
and  Mohegans  against  the  Pequots."*  He  prevailed  with 
Miantenimo,  the  chief  sachem  of  the  Narragansets,  to 
come  to  Boston,  in  October,  and  to  covenant  with  them  to 
war  against  the  Pequots  till  they  were  subdued ;  and  they 
sent  a  copy  of  it  to  Mr.  Williams,  who  could  best  inter- 
pret it  to  him.t 

Uncas,  the  sachem  of  the  Mohegans,  who  lived  between 
New  London  and  Norwich,  had  revolted  from  the  Pequots 
a  little  before,  and  now  joined  against  them  ;  and  the  co- 
lonies agreed  to  raise  an  army  against  them  in  the  spring. 

But  the  Pequots  were  too  early  for  them,  and  sent  an 
army  up  the  river  in  April,  and  killed  several,  and  capti- 
vated others  ;  upon  which  Connecticut  raised  an  army  of 
ninety  English,  and  a  hundred  Mohegan  Indians,  who 
went  down  to  Saybrook,  where  Captain  Underbill  joined 
them  with  nineteen  men,  upon  which  twenty  of  the 
others  were  sent  back,  and  then  the  army  sailed  to  the 
Narraganset  bay,  under  the  command  of  Captain  John 
Mason  of  Windsor.  After  they  landed,  many  of  the 
Narragansets  joined  them,  and  they  marched  over  Paw- 
catuck  river,  and  encamped  in  the  night ;  but  the  Narra- 

•  Historical  Society,  vol.  i.  p.  277.        f  Winthrop,  p.  109,  110. 


1 637.]  EXTERMINATION    OF    THE    PEQUOTS.  43 

gansets  were  so  much  afraid  of  the  Pequots,  that  they  all 
forsook  the  English,  and  the  Mohegans  went  behind  them. 
Yet  Captain  Mason  and  his  men  assaulted  Mistick  fort  in 
Stonington,  a  little  before  day,  May  26,  1637,  and  by  fire 
and  sword  destroyed  six  or  seven  hundred  Pequots,  in 
about  an  hour,  when  only  seven  were  captivated,  and 
about  seven  escaped ;  while  he  had  but  two  men  killed, 
and  twenty  wounded.*  Sassacus  was  at  another  fort, 
where  some  of  his  own  men  were  for  killing  him,  because 
he  had  caused  this  dreadful  war ;  but  others  pleaded  for 
him,  though  they  ail  concluded  to  flee  over  Connecticut 
river.  After  which  General  Stoughton  came  up  with  120 
men,  and  Mason  and  part  of  his  men  joined  him,  and  they 
pursued  the  Pequots  beyond  New  Haven,  and  Sassacus 
fled  to  the  Mohawks,  who  cut  off  his  head,  and  informed 
the  English  of  it.  So  mayy  Pequots  were  slain  or  capti- 
vated, that  the  rest  sued  for  peace,  which  was  granted 
upon  condition  of  their  quitting  their  name,  and  former 
habitations,  and  being  dispersed  among  the  Mohegans  and 
Narragansets,  who  should  pay  an  annual  tribute  for  them, 
while  others  were  servants  to  the  English. 

All  this  was  accomplished  in  about  six  months,  as 
appears  by  the  journal  of  Governor  Winthrop,  the  history 
of  Captain  Mason,  and  other  accounts;  and  Indian 
sachems  came  to  Boston,  1638,  from  all  the  country,  as 
well  as  from  Long  Island,  to  express  their  gratitude  to  the 
English  for  this  victory,  as  Governor  Winthrop  informs 
us.  And  Captain  Mason  says  in  his  history,  that  they 
had  but  about  two  hundred  and  fifty  men  in  all  Connecti- 
cut, when  the  war  began,  and  they  were  in  the  midst  of 
those  enemies.  How  wonderful  then  was  their  victory, 
which  opened  a  wide  door  for  the  English  to  fill  the 
country!  Governor  Eaton  and  Mr.  Davenport,  who 
came  over  in  the  time  of  the  war,  went  and  planted  New 
Haven,  in  1638,  and  began  another  colony,  who  allowed 
none  to  be  freemen  but  communicants  in  their  churches. 
About. three  thousand  people  came  over  that  year;  and  it 
was  computed  that  from  1628  to  1643,  about  twenty-one 

*  Mason's  History,  p.  10. 


44  CHURCH    HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.        [CU.  II. 

thousand  two  hundred  persons  came  over  here  ;*  and  very- 
few  of  them  had  separated  from  the  church  of  England 
before  they  came  away.  This  fully  verified  what  Mr. 
Robinson  said,  twenty  years  before  Boston  was  planted  ; 
and  it  shows  how  men  are  influenced  in  religious  matters 
by  the  government  which  they  are  under. 

An  act  of  justice  now  towards  the  Indians,  served  greatly 
to  confirm  their  friendship.  For  four  young  men  ran 
away  from  Plymouth,  and  meeting  with  an  Indian  near 
Providence,  with  a  rich  pack  upon  his  back,  they  mur- 
dered him  for  it,  and  then  fled  to  Rhode  Island.  Mr. 
Williams  informed  Governor  Winthrop  of  it,  who  advised 
him  to  write  to  Plymouth  about  it,  which  he  did,  and 
they  sent  to  Rhode  Island,  and  caught  three  of  them,  and 
hanged  them  at  Plymouth.  And  though  some  might 
think  it  strange,  that  three  English  should  be  executed 
for  one  Indian,  yet  none  can  tell  how  many  lives  this 
saved  afterwards. 

Yet  all  the  great  services  which  Mr.  Williams  did  for 
Massachusetts,  could  not  prevail  with  them  to  take  ofi*his 
sentence  of  banishment,  though  Governor  Winthrop  was 
for  it.  A  fear  of  their  enemies  in  England  had  a  great 
hand  in  this  ;  for  on  April  28,  1634,  King  Charles  gave  a 
commission  to  Archbishop  Laud,  and  eleven  men  more,  to 
revoke  all  the  charters  which  he  had  given  to  these  colo- 
nies, and  to  make  such  new  constitutions  and  laws  as  they 
thought  meet  for  them  ;  and  also  to  displace  their  governors 
and  other  officers,  and  to  appoint  others  in  their  room  ;  to 
impose  tithes  for  the  clergy,  and  to  punish  all  those  who 
disobeyed  them  with  fines,  imprisonment,  or  death.  And 
though  Governor  Winslow  was  sent  over  their  agent,  and 
got  this  commission  revoked,  yet  Laud  caused  him  to  be 
imprisoned  in  London  seventeen  weeks,  for  teaching 
sometimes  at  Plymouth,  and  for  marrying  people  as  a  ma- 
gistrate, which  Laud  called  an  invasion  of  the  ministerial 
office.!  And  to  guard  against  such  tyranny,  was  of  great 
importance.  Another  reason  was,  that  they  expected  to 
obtain  so  much  power  here,  as  to  give  a  wound  to  anti- 

•  Johnson,  p.  31.  f  Historical  Society,  vol.  iv.  p.  119,  120. 


1637.]  PROCEEDINGS    AT    BOSTON.  45 

christ  in  other  countries.  For  a  man  who  was  well  ac- 
quainted with  their  views,  speaking  of  the  man  of  sin, 
says,  **  Mr.  John  Cotton,  among  others,  hath  diligently 
searched  for  the  Lord's  mind  herein,  and  hath  declared 
some  sudden  blow  to  be  given  to  this  bloodthirsty  mon- 
ster ;  but  the  Lord  Christ  hath  inseparably  joined  the  time, 
means,  and  manner  of  this  work  together."* 

The  planting  of  this  country  and  the  great  things  which 
God  hath  done  here,  has  evidently  given  much  light 
to  Europe,  and  weakened  the  power  of  antichrist  there ; 
but  the  use  of  force  in  religious  affairs,  has  been  so  far 
from  weakening  that  enemy,  that  his  main  strength  lies 
therein.  But  Massachusetts  still  went  on  in  that  way, 
and  on  March  3,  1636,  they  said,  **  This  court  doth  not 
nor  will  hereafter  approve  of  any  such  companies  of  men, 
as  shall  henceforth  join  in  any  way  of  church  fellowship 
without  they  shall  first  acquaint  the  magistrates,  and  the 
elders  of  the  greater  part  of  the  churches  of  this  jurisdic- 
tion, and  have  their  approbation  herein.  And  further  it 
is  ordered,  that  no  person,  being  a  member  of  any  church 
which  shall  hereal'ier  be  gathered  without  the  approbation 
of  the  magistrates  and  the  greater  part  of  the  said  churches, 
shall  be  admitted  to  the  freedom  of  this  commonwealth." 
And  when  they  met  at  Boston,  May  25,  1636,  Henry 
Vane,  Esq.  was  chosen  governor,  and  John  Winthrop 
deputy  governor ;  and  he  and  Dudley  were  elected  to  be 
a  standing  council  for  life,  and  the  governor  for  the  time 
being  was  to  be  their  president.  Endicott  was  also  chosen  a 
counsellor  for  life  the  next  year  ;  for  which  their  charter 
gave  no  right,  and  no  others  were  ever  elected  so  among  them. 
Five  rulers  and  three  ministers  were  also  now  appointed, 
»*  To  make  a  draught  of  laws  which  may  be  the  funda- 
mentals of  this  commonwealth,  and  to  present  the  same  to 
the  next  general  court ;  and  it  is  ordered  that  in  the  mean 
time  the  magistrates  and  their  associates  shall  proceed  in 
the  courts,  to  hear  and  determine  all  causes  according  to 
the  laws  now  established;  and  where  there  is  no  law, 
then  as  near  the  laws  of  God  as  they  can." 

•  Johnson,  p.  230. 


46  CHURCH     HISTORY   OF    NEW    ENGLAND.        [CH.  II. 

So  that  when  their  laws  were  made,  their  judges  were 
to  act  thereby  in  religious  affairs,  instead  of  the  laws  of 
God.  But  what  followed  among  them  may  be  a  warning 
to  all  after  ages,  against  confounding  church  and  state 
together  in  their  government.  For  disputes  and  divi- 
sions about  grace  and  works,  between  their  chief  rulers 
and  ministers,  came  on  in  Boston,  and  spread  through  all 
the  country  to  a  great  degree.  A  fast  was  appointed  on 
account  of  it,  on  January  19,  1637;  but  Mr.  Wheel- 
wright then  preached  a  sermon  which  increased  their  dif- 
ficulties, for  which  he  was  called  before  their  general 
court,  March  9,  who  dismissed  him  for  the  present ;  and 
when  they  met  May  17,  after  a  sharp  contention,  Mr. 
Winthrop  was  again  chosen  governor,  and  Mr.  Vane  was 
left  out  of  office,  and  the  case  of  Wheelwright  was  again 
deferred.  A  synod  of  ministers  from  all  the  colonies 
met  at  Cambridge,  August  30,  and  sat  three  weeks,  and 
drew  up  a  list  of  eighty  errors  which  they  said  were  held 
in  the  country  ;  and  then  the  general  court  met  Septem- 
ber 26,  and  again  dismissed  Mr.  Wheelwright,  and  dis- 
solved the  house  of  deputies,  and  called  another  for  No- 
vember 2,  1637.  Such  an  instance  as  never  was  here 
before  or  since,  of  electing  the  house  of  deputies  twice  in 
one  fall.  The  house  they  dissolved  had  twenty-six  depu- 
ties, and  the  new  one  thirty-one,  only  eleven  of  whom 
were  in  that  which  was  dissolved. 

And  now  they  had  a  majority  to  punish  those  whom 
the  synod  had  condemned  ;  and  they  went  on  to  banish 
John  Wheelwright,  William  Aspinwall,  Ann  Hutchinson, 
and  others,  and  to  disarm  seventy-six  men,  fifty-eight  of 
whom  were  of  Boston.  Of  these  Mr.  Wheelwright  and 
some  others  went  and  planted  Exeter  in  New  Hampshire, 
and  were  dismissed  and  recommended  to  form  a  church 
there,  from  the  church  in  Boston  ;*  though  Mr.  Williams 
was  excommunicated  by  the  church  in  Salem,  after  he 
had  been  ban'«hed  by  the  court,  for  things  that  Governor 
Winthrop  judged  to  be  less  dangerous  than  the  other  was 

*  Belknap's  New  Hampshire,  vol.  i.  p.  37. 


1637.]  PERSECUTIONS.  47 

guilty  of.*  Wheelwright  was  banished  for  what  they 
judged  to  be  sedition  and  contempt  of  their  government, 
and  Williams  for  denying  that  they  had  any  right  to 
make  laws,  and  enforce  them  with  the  sword  in  religious 
affairs.  Wheelwright  afterwards  made  a  slight  confes- 
sion to  them,  and  was  restored  to  favour,  but  Williams 
never  retracted  his  opinion  about  liberty  of  conscience, 
therefore  they  never  would  restore  him.  And  how  many 
have  there  been  ever  since,  who  have  been  more  earnest 
for  the  use  of  force  in  religious  affairs,  than  for  the  peace 
and  good  order  of  civil  government !  but  wise  men  learn 
much  by  the  mistakes  of  others.  Mr.  John  Haynes  was 
governor  of  Massachusetts  in  1635,  and  pronounced  the 
sentence  of  banishment  on  Williams  ;  but  he  removed  to 
Hartford  in  the  spring  of  1637,  where  he  afterwards  said 
to  Williams,  **  I  think  I  must  confess  to  you,  that  the 
most  wise  God  hath  provided  and  cut  out  this  part  of  his 
world  for  a  receptacle  and  refuge  for  all  sorts  of  con- 
sciences. I  am  now  under  a  cloud,  and  my  brother 
Hooker,  with  the  Bay,  as  you  have  been ;  we  have  re- 
moved from  them  thus  far,  and  yet  they  are  not  satis- 
fied."! This  confirms  what  was  before  said  of  the  dif- 
ference between  the  Massachusetts  and  Connecticut  go- 
vernments. 

In  September,  1638,  Massachusetts  made  a  law  to  com- 
pel all  the  inhabitants  in  each  town  to  pay  an  equal  pro- 
portion towards  the  support  of  religious  ministers,  though 
none  had  a  vote  in  choosing  them  but  communicants  in 
their  churches.  And  they  then  made  another  law,  which 
said,  **  That  whosoever  shall  stand  excommunicated  for 
the  space  of  six  months,  without  labouring  what  in  him 
or  her  lieth  to  be  restored,  such  person  shall  be  presented 
to  the  court  of  assistants,  and  there  proceeded  with  by 
fine,  imprisonment,  banishment,  or  farther  for  the  good 
behaviour,  as  thei-.  contempt  and  obstinacy  upon  full 
hearing  shall  deserve."  But  this  act  was  so  high  and 
glaring  that  it  was  repealed  the  next  year.     In  the  mean 

*  Hiitchinson*s  Collections,  p.  71. 
f  Historical  Society,  vol.  i.  p.  280. 


48  CHURCH    HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.      [cH.  III. 

time,  as  adultery  was  a  capital  crime  by  the  law  of  Moses, 
a  law  to  punish  it  with  death  was  made  at  Boston,  in 
1631,  and  three  persons  were  banished  for  it  in  1638,  and 
a  man  and  a  woman  were  hanged  for  it  in  1644. 


CHAPTER  III. 

Rhode  Island  planted — Their  first  government — Providence  upon  an- 
other plan — The  Baptist  church  there — Their  sentiments  spread — 
Account  of  Knollys — A  law  against  the  Baptists — And  writings, 
also — Men  in  England  against  them — The  case  of  Gorton  and  his 
company — Indians  against  them — They  are  banished,  but  obtain  re- 
lief from  England — Williams  obtains  a  new  charter,  and  writes 
against  persecution,  and  Cotton  against  him — Owen  for  him — 
These  colonies  for  severity  ;  but  Robinson  for  liberty. 

When  such  cruelty  was  exercised  at  Boston,  Mr.  John 
Clarke,  his  brother  Joseph,  and  many  others  concluded 
to  remove  away ;  and  when  they  came  to  Providence, 
Mr.  Williams  advised  them  to  go  to  the  island  of  Aquid- 
net;  and  he  went  with  them  to  Plymouth,  to  inquire 
whether  they  claimed  it  or  not ;  and  finding  that  they  did 
not,  many  went  there,  and  signed  a  covenant  on  March  7, 
1638,  in  which  they  said,  "  We  whose  names  are  under- 

Exodus, 

xxxiv.  3, 

4. 

2  Chron. 

xi.  3. 

2  Kings, 

xi.  17. 


written,  do  here  solemnly,  in  the  presence  of 
Jehovah,  incorporate  ourselves  into  a  body 
politic,  and  as  he  shall  help,  will  submit  our 
persons,  lives,  and  estates,  unto  our  Lord  Je- 
sus Christ,  the  King  of  kings,  and  Lord  of 
lords,  and  to  all  those  perfect  and  most  abso- 
lute laws  of  his,  given  us  in  his  holy  word 
^of  truth,  to  be  guided  and  judged  thereby. 
William  Coddington,  John  Clarke,  William  Hutchinson, 
John  Cogshall,  William  AspinwalU  Thomas  Savage, 
William  Dyre,  William  Freeborne,  Philip  Sherman,  John 
Walker,   Richard   Carder,  William  Baulstone,  Edward 


1638.]  INCORPORATION    OF    RHODE    ISLAND.  49 

Hutchinson,  Edward  Hutchinson,  junior,  Samuel  Wil- 
bore,  John  Sanford,  John  Porter,  Henry  Bull." 

This  I  copied  from  their  records.  Those  whose  names 
are  in  Italic  afterwards  went  back,  and  were  reconciled 
to  Massachusetts  ;  and  most  of  the  others  were  of  note 
on  the  island,  which  they  called  Rhode  Island.  Their 
covenant  to  be  governed  by  the  perfect  laws  of  Christ  as 
a  body  politic,  seemed  to  be  preferable  to  the  scheme  of 
Massachusetts  ;  yet  as  they  could  not  find  laws  to  govern 
such  a  body  in  the  New  Testament,  they  went  back  to  the 
laws  of  Moses,  and  elected  a  judge  and  three  elders  to 
rule  them.  And  an  assembly  of  their  freemen,  on  Janu- 
ary 2,  1639,  said,  **  That  the  judge,  together  with  the 
elders,  shall  rule  and  govern  according  to  the  general 
rules  of  the  word  of  God,  when  they  have  no  particular 
rule  from  God's  word,  by  the  body  prescribed  as  a  direc- 
tion unto  them  in  the  case."  But  on  March  12,  1640, 
they  changed  their  plan  of  government,  and  elected  a  go- 
vernor, and  four  assistants ;  and  they  went  on  till  they 
disfranchised  four  men,  and  suspended  others  from  voting 
in  their  elections  ;  afterwards  Mr.  Williams  went  over  to 
England,  and  obtained  a  charter  which  included  them  in 
his  government. 

He  had  procured  a  deed  of  Rhode  Island  for  them, 
from  the  Narraganset  sachems,  on  March  24,  1638;  and 
another  to  himself  of  Providence,  the  same  day.  He 
and  a  few  friends  had  been  there  for  two  years  before  ; 
and  when  he  had  obtained  a  deed  of  the  town,  he  gave  a 
deed  to  Stukely  Westcoat,  William  Arnold,  Thomas 
James,  Robert  Cole,  John  Green,  John  Throckmorton, 
William  Harris,  William  Carpenter,  Thomas  Olney, 
Francis  Western,  Richard  Waterman,  Ezekiel  Holiman, 
and  such  others  as  the  major  part  of  them  should  admit 
into  fellowship  and  vote  with  them. 

To  these  he  gave  a  right  in  the  town  freely  ;  but  they 
^yho  were  received  afterwards,  were  to  pay  him  thirty 
shillings  a  piece.  And  they  were  Chad  Brown,  William 
Field,  Thomas  Harris,  William  Wickenden,  Robert  Wil- 
liams, Richard  Scott,  William  Renolds,  John  Field, 
John  Warner,  Thomas  Angell,  Benedict  Arnold,  Joshua 
5 


50  CHURCH    HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.       [CH.  IH. 

Winsor,  Thomas  Hopkins,  Francis  Weeks,  &>c.     They 
all  signed  a  covenant  which  said, 

*'  We  whose  names  are  underwritten,  being  desirous 
to  inhabit  in  the  town  of  Providence,  do  promise  to  sub- 
mit ourselves  in  active  or  passive  obedience  to  all  such 
orders  or  agreements  as  shall  be  made  for  the  public  good 
of  the  body  in  an  orderly  way,  by  the  major  consent  of 
the  present  inhabitants,  masters  of  families,  incorporated 
together  into  a  township,  and  such  others  whom  they 
shall  admit  unto  the  same,  only  in  civil  things, ^^  And 
I  found  a  record  afterward,  which  said,  *'  It  was  agreed 
that  Joshua  Verin,  upon  breach  of  covenant,  or  restrain- 
ing liberty  of  conscience,  shall  be  withheld  from  liberty 
of  voting  till  he  shall  declare  the  contrary."  He  re- 
strained his  wife  from  going  to  meeting  as  often  as  she 
desired  ;  and  upon  this  act  against  him  he  removed  away, 
as  their  records  show. 

And  the  men  who  were  for  such  liberty,  soon  formed 
the  first  Baptist  church  in  America.  Mr.  Williams  had 
been  accused  before  of  embracing  principles  which  tended 
to  anabaptism  ;  and  in  March,  1639,  he  was  baptized  by 
one  of  his  brethren,  and  then  he  baptized  about  ten 
more.  But  in  July  following,  such  scruples  were  raised_ 
in  his  mind  about  it,  that  he  refrained  from  such  admi- 
nistrations among  them.*  Mr.  Williams  discovers  in  his 
writings,  that  as  sacrifices  and  other  acts  of  worship  were 
omitted  by  the  people  of  God,  while  his  temple  lay  in 
ruins  ;  and  that  they  were  restored  again  by  immediate 
direction  from  Heaven,  so  that  some  such  direction  was 
necessary  to  restore  the  ordinances  of  baptism  and  the 
supper,  since  the  desolation  of  the  church  in  mystical 
Babylon.t  But  these  cases  are  far  from  being  parallel ; 
lor  the  altar  of  God  in  one  place  in  the  land  of  Canaan, 
was  the  only  place  where  acceptable  sacrifices  could  then 
be  offered ;  while  the  Christian  church  is  not  confined  to 
any  place,  but  Christ  is  with  his  saints  wherever  they 
meet  in  his  name  ;  and  he  says  to  his  ministers,  Go  ye 
and  teach  all  nations,  baptizing  them  in  the  name  of  the 

•  Winthrop,  p.  174.  18a  f  ^P^J  ^  Cotton,  p.  107. 


1638.]  THE    BAPTIST    CHURCH.  81 

Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost ;  teach- 
ing them  to  observe  all  things  whatsoever  I  have  com- 
manded you  :  and  lo,  I  am  with  you  always,  even  unto 
the  end  of  the  world.  Amen.  Matt,  xviii.  20  ;  xxviii.  19, 
20.  And  these  promises  belong  only  to  the  children  of 
God,  in  the  way  of  observing  all  his  commandments,  let 
them  be  ordained  by  whom  they  may.  As  the  priests 
who  could  not  find  a  register  of  their  lawful  descent  from 
Aaron  were  put  from  the  priesthood  ^  so  those  who  are 
born  again  are  the  only  priesthood  whom  Christ  owns 
under  the  gospel.     Ezra  ii.  62.   1  Pet.  i.  23  ;  xi.  9. 

After  Mr.  Williams  left  that  church  in  Providence, 
they  chose  Mr.  Thomas  Olney  for  their  pastor,  and  he 
served  them  in  that  office  until  he  died,  in  1682  ;  and 
through  many  trials  and  changes  they  have  continued 
ever  since,  and  are  now  a  flourishing  church.  Others 
had  much  labour  about  baptism  in  these  times.  Mr. 
Charles  Chauncy  preached  ti  Plymouth  above  two  years, 
and  they  would  fain  have  settled  him  with  Mr.  Reyner, 
their  other  minister ;  but  he  believed  that  gospel  baptism 
was  dipping,  and  that  sprinkling  for  baptism  was  not 
lawful,  as  their  records  show.  He  therefore  went  to 
Scituatc,  where  he  practised  the  dipping  of  infants.*  He 
was  afif^rwards  president  of  the  college  at  Cambridge. 
Governor  Winthrop  also  says,  **  The  lady  Moody,  a  wise 
and  anciently  religious  woman,  being  taken  with  the 
error  of  denying  baptism  to  infants,  was  dealt  with  by 
many  of  the  elders  and  others,  and  admonished  by  the 
church  of  Salem,  whereof  she  was  a  member ;  but  per- 
sisting still,  and  to  avoid  further  trouble,  she  removed  to 
the  Dutch,  against  the  advice  of  all  her  friends.  Many 
others,  infected  with  anabaptism,  removed  thither  also.'* 
They  went  to  the  west  part  of  Long  Island,  where  Mr. 
Williams  went  in  1643,  and  made  peace  between  the  In- 
dians and  the  Dutch,  and  then  sailed  for  England.! 

Mr.  Hanserd  Knollys  was  a  minister  in  the  church  of 
England  for  nine  years,  and  then  he  was  so  cruelly  per- 
secuted therein,  that  he  came  over  to  Boston  in  the  spring 

•  Winthrop,  p.  200.  261.  f  Winthrop,  p.  273.  298,  299. 


53  CHURCH    HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.       [CH.  III. 

of  1638  ;  but  their  rulers  called  him  an  Antinomian,  and 
would  not  suffer  him  there ;  therefore  he  went  to  Dover 
on  Piscataqua  river,  where  he  preached  near  four  years, 
and  then  returned  to  England,  and  arrived  in  London  in 
December,  1641.  As  the  war  broke  out  there  the  next 
year,  liberty  for  various  opinions  was  caused  thereby,  and 
he  became  a  Baptist,  and  gathered  a  church  in  London, 
where  he  often  had  a  thousand  hearers.  He  baptized 
Mr.  Henry  Jessy,  an  eminent  minister  in  that  city,  and 
was  one  who  signed  the  Baptist  confession  of  faith  in 
1643,  which  was  as  clear  in  the  doctrines  of  the  gospel, 
as  was  that  of  the  divines  at  Westminster ;  a  copy  of 
which  Mr.  Crosby  has  given  at  the  end  of  the  first  volume 
of  his  history.  He  also  informs  us  that  Mr.  KnoUys 
continued  a  faithful  pastor  of  his  church  in  London, 
through  great  changes  and  sufferings,  until  he  died  in 
peace,  September  19,  1691,  aged  93  years.  And  though 
many  things  were  published  against  him  here,  yet  Dr. 
Mather  says,  ''  He  had  a  respectful  character  in  the 
churches  of  this  wilderness."*  And  Mr.  John  Clarke  * 
was  a  preacher  of  the  gospel  at  Newport,  until  he  formed 
a  Baptist  church  there  in  1644,  which  has  continued  by 
succession  ever  since.  But  Massachusetts  was  so  much 
afraid  of  the  spread  of  their  principles,  that  they  made  a 
law  in  November  that  year,  which  said,  -n 

"  Forasmuch  as  experience  hath  plentifully  and  often  ( 
proved,  that  since  the  first  rising  of  the  Anabaptists,  about 
one  hundred  years  since,  they  have  been  the  incendiaries 
of  the  commonwealths,  and  the  infectors  of  persons  in 
main  matters  of  religion,  and  the  troublers  of  churches  in 
all  places  where  they  have  been,  and  that  they  who  have 
held  the  baptizing  of  infants  unlawful,  h^ve  usually  held 
other  errors  or  heresies  together  therewith,  though  they 
have  (as  other  heretics  use  to  do)  concealed  the  same  till 
they  spied  out  a  fit  advantage  and  opportunity  to  vent 
them,  by  way  of  question  or  scruple  ;  and  whereas  divers 
of  this  kind  have,  since  our  coming  to  New  England, 
appeared  amongst  ourselves,  some  whereof  (as  others  b«-  \ 

*  Magnalia,  book  iii.  p.  7. 


1 638. J  LAW    AGAINST    THE    BAPTISTS.  §3 

fore  them)  denied  the  ordinance  of  magistracy,  and  the 
lawfulness  of  making  war,  and  others  the  lawfulness  of 
magistrates,  and  their  inspection  into  the  breach  of  the 
first  table  ;  which  opinions,  if  they  should  be  connived  at 
by  us,  are  like  to  be  increased  amongst  us,  and  so  must 
necessarily  bring  guilt  upon  us,  infection  and  trouble  to 
the  churches,  and  hazard  to  the  whole  commonwealth ; 
it  is  ordered  and  agreed,  that  if  any  person  or  persons, 
within  this  jurisdiction,  shall  either  openly  condemn  or 
oppose  the  baptizing  of  infants,  or  go  about  secretly  to 
seduce  others  from  the  approbation  or  use  thereof,  or 
shall  purposely  depart  the  congregation  at  the  ministra- 
tion of  the  ordinance,  or  shall  deny  the  ordinance  of  ma- 
gistracy, or  their  lawful  right  and  authority  to  make  war^ 
or  to  punish  the  outward  breaches  of  the  first  table,  and 
shall  appear  to  the  court  wilfully  and  obstinately  to  con- 
tinue therein,  after  due  time  and  means  of  conviction, 
every  such  person  or  persons  shall  be  sentenced  to  ba- 
nishment." 

Thus  denying  infant  baptism  was  made  a  cause  of  ba- 
nishment, by  men  who  knew  that  many  who  did  so,  did 
not  hold  the  errors  mentioned  in  this  law.  And  Mr. 
Cotton  said  in  those  times,  **  they  do  not  deny  magis- 
trates, nor  predestination,  nor  original  sin,  nor  maintain 
free-will  in  conversion,  nor  apostasy  from  grace  ;  but 
only  deny  the  lawful  use  of  the  baptism  of  children,  be- 
cause it  wanteth  a  word  of  commandment  and  example 
from  the  Scripture.  And  I  am  bound  in  Christian  love 
to  believe,  that  they  who  yield  so  far,  do  it  out  of  con- 
science, as  following  the  example  of  the  apostle,  who 
professed  of  himself  and  his  followers.  We  can  do  nothing 
against  the  truth,  but  for  the  truth.  But  yet  I  believe 
withal,  that  it  is  not  out  of  love  to  the  truth  that  Satan 
yieldeth  so  much,  but  rather  out  of  another  ground,  and 
for  a  worse  end.  He  knoweth  that  now,  by  the  good 
hand  of  God,  they  are  set  upon  purity  and  reformation ; 
and  now  to  plead  against  the  baptism  of  children  upon 
any  of  those  Arminian  and  Popish  grounds,  as  those 
above  named,  Satan  knoweth  they  would  be  rejected. 
He  now  pleadeth  no  other  arguments  in  these  times  of 


54  CHURCH    HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.        [cH.  IH. 

reformation,  than  may  be  urged  from  a  main  principle  of 
reformation,  to  wit,  That  no  duty  of  God's  worship,  nor 
any  ordinance  of  religion,  is  to  be  administered  in  his 
church,  but  such  as  hath  a  just  warrant  from  the  word 
of  God.  And  by  urging  this  argument  against  the  bap- 
tism of  children,  Satan  transformeth  himself  into  an  angel 
of  light."* 

Here  we  may  see  that  Mr.  Cotton  knew  the  Baptists 
among  them  were  not  such  as  are  described  in  the  above 
law  ;  though  his  charity  about  them  was,  that  they""were 
deceived  by  the  devil,  in  pleading  plain  Scripture  against 
infant  baptism,  which  hath  no  precept  nor  example  for  it 
in  the  word  of  God.  And  another  minister  near  him,  in 
writing  then  against  the  Baptists,  ranks  them  with  our 
first  mother  Eve,  and  says,  '^  Hath  God  said  it?  was 
the  old  serpentine  insinuation  to  blind  and  beguile,  and 
to  corrupt  first  the  judgment  in  point  of  warrant  of  this 
or  that  practice."!  As  if  a  calling  in  question  a  custom 
of  men,  which  is  not  named  in  the  word  of  God,  was  as 
criminal  and  dangerous  as  a  disputing  the  authority  and 
truth  of  his  express  command.  Of  this  every  one  must 
judge  for  himself.  The  Presbyterian  assembly  of  divines 
at  Westminster  now  denied  liberty  to  their  Congrega- 
tional brethren  in  England,  to  have  gathered  churches 
there,  distinct  from  their  parish  churches  ;  and  said  to 
them,  *'  This  liberty  was  denied  by  the  churches  of  New 
England,  and  we  have  as  just  ground  to  deny  it  as  they : 
this  desired  forbearance  is  a  perpetual  drawing  away  from 
churches  under  the  rule ;  for  upon  the  same  pretence, 
those  who  scruple  infant  baptism  may  withdraw  from 
their  churches,  and  so  separate  into  another  congrega- 
tion ;  and  so  in  that,  some  practice  may  be  scrupled,  and 
they  separate  again. "J  Such  is  the  effect  of  the  use  of 
force  in  religious  affairs.  And  it  now  caused  much  trou- 
ble to  Massachusetts,  from  men  who  were  really  very 
corrupt  in  doctrines. 

Samuel  Gorton  had   considerable   knowledge   of  the 

*  Cotton  on  Baptism,  1647,  p.  3.        f  Cobbet  on  Baptism,  p.  8. 
4:  Crosby,  vol.  i.  p.  186,  187. 


1643.]  SAMUEL    GORTON.  55 

Hebrew  and  Greek  languages,  which  he  made  use  of  to 
corrupt  the  word  of  God.  He  held  the  coming  and  suf- 
ferings of  Christ  to  be  within  his  children,  and  that  he 
was  as  much  in  this  world  at  one  time  as  another;  or  that 
all  which  we  read  about  him  is  to  be  taken  in  a  mystical 
sense,  which  he  called  spiritual  sense.  And  of  the  visi- 
ble church,  he  says,  **  Pharisaical  interpreters,  who 
erect  churches  as  true  churches  of  God,  that  admit  of  de- 
cay, and  falling  from  God  in  whole,  or  any  part  thereof, 
are  they  who  have  deceived  and  undone  the  world  from 
the  foundation  thereof  unto  this  day,  and  are  the  proper 
witches  of  the  world,  which  the  Scripture  intends." 
Again  he  says,  **  They  can  strain  out  the  gnat  of  ""dipping 
into,  or  sprinkling  with  water  in  the  entrance  into  their 
church."  And  he  says,  '*  Antichrist  is  not  to  be  con- 
fined to  any  one  particular  man  or  devil,  but  every  one  of 
that  spirit  is  the  original  and  proper  inlet  of  sin,  and  in 
undatioh  of  God*s  wrath  into  the  world.  1  John  ii.  18 
22.  Neither  is  the  disposition,  office,  and  authority  of 
the  Son  of  God  confined  and  limited  to  one  man  ;  but 
every  one  that  is  of  that  spirit,  hath  that  royal  preroga- 
tive or  set  in  him  to  be  the  Son  of  God,  even  so  many  as 
believe  in  that  name."  John  i.  12.* 

And  his  practice  was  no  better  than  his  principles 
For  he  came  over  to  Boston  in  1636,  where  he  caused 
considerable  trouble,  and  then  did  the  like  at  Plymouth, 
from  whence  he  went  to  Newport,  and  behaved  so  there, 
that  they  inflicted  corporeal  punishment  upon  him.  He 
then  went  and  bought  some  land  near  Pawtuxet  river,  in 
the  south  part  of  Providence,  in  January,  1641  ;  but  such 
contention  soon  arose  among  neighbours  there,  about 
earthly  things,  that  they  came  armed  into  the  field  to 
fight ;  but  Mr.  Williams  interposed  and  pacified  them  for 
the  present,  and  then  wrote  to  Boston  for  advice  and  help. 
This  was  not  granted  from  thence,  unless  they  would 
come  under  the  Massachusetts  government.  And  as 
difficulties  continued  great  in  that  place,  four  men  went 
from  Pawtuxet  to  Boston,  in  September,  1642,  and  sub- 

*  Aptidote  against  Pharisaical  t«achers,  p.  42.  60,  <iV 


56  CHURCH    HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.      [CH.  III. 

mitted  themselves  and  their  lands  under  that  government ; 
and  then  their  rulers  wrote  to  Gorton  and  others  to  come 
to  Boston,  and  answer  to  the  complaints  of  these  men. 
But  they  were  so  far  from  going,  that  they  wrote  a  long 
letter,  containing  a  mystical  paraphrase  upon  their  writing, 
and  many  provoking  sentences  against  said  rulers,  and 
their  religious  principles  and  conduct,  and  a  refusal  to  go, 
dated  November  20,  1642,  signed  by  twelve  men.  And 
to  get  out  of  their  reach,  these  men  went  over  the  river, 
and  bought  the  lands  at  Shawomet,  of  the  Indians,  and 
received  a  deed  of  it,  January  12,  1643,  signed  by  Mian- 
tanimo  and  Pumham. 

In  May  following  the  general  court  at  Boston  sent 
men  into  those  parts ;  and  finding  that  Gorton  and  his  com- 
pany were  gone  out  of  what  they  called  their  jurisdiction, 
they  got  Pumham  and  Socononco,  two  Indian  sachems, 
10  come  to  Boston  in  June,  and  to  submit  themselves  and 
their  lands  unto  their  government ,  and  then  to  enter  a 
complaint  against  Gorton  and  his  company,  that  they  had 
taken  away  their  lands,  by  the  hifluence  of  Miantanimo, 
who  forced  Pumham  to  sign  the  deed,  as  they  said, 
though  he  would  not  receive  any  of  the  pay  for  it.  Upon 
which  the  governor  and  one  assistant  wrote  to  Gorton 
and  his  company  to  come  to  Boston,  and  answer  to  these 
complaints ;  and  they  sent  to  Miantanimo  also  to  come 
to  Boston  for  the  same  end.  But  Gorton  and  his  com- 
pany sent  a  long  and  provoking  letter,  and  refused  to  go. 
Miantanimo  went  down  and  justified  his  sale  of  those 
lands,  and  said  those  sachems  were  his  subjects,  or  rulers 
under  him.  And  it  appears  by  many  writings,  that  he 
was  a  man  of  the  greatest  powers  of  mind,  and  of  the 
greatest  influence  among  the  Indians  of  almost  any  one 
in  the  land,  which  caused  the  English  to  be  greatly  afraid 
of  him. 

After  much  consultation,  commissioners  from  New 
Haven,  Connecticut,  Plymouth,  and  Massachusetts,  met 
at  Boston  in  September,  and  signed  articles  of  confedera- 
tion for  mutual  assistance  and  defence  ;  that  two  com- 
missioners from  each  colony  should  meet  once  a  year,  or 
oftener,  if  necessary,  to  order  the  general  affairs  of  all, 


1643.]  GORTON    AND    OTHERS    CONFINED.  57 

while  the  internal  government  of  each  should  be  as  be- 
fore. And  Massachusetts  declared  that  Shawomet  was 
within  Plymouth  colony,  and  called  upon  them  to  relieve 
the  Indians  there,  whom  they  said  Gorton's  company 
had  oppressed ;  but  rather  than  attempt  it,  they  gave  up 
all  the  right  they  had  there  to  Massachusetts,  and  the 
other  commissioners  assented  to  it. 

Massachusetts  then  put  their  government  into  a  posture 
of  war,  and  sent  three  officers  and  forty  armed  soldiers  to 
Shawomet,  and  brought  Gorton  and  a  number  of  his  com- 
pany to  Boston  by  force.  They  also  brought  away  about 
eighty  head  of  their  cattle,  to  pay  the  cost  of  this  expedi- 
tion. And  when  they  had  got  these  men  there,  they  left 
the  affair  about  lands,  and  tried  them  for  their  lives  upon 
a  charge  of  lieresy  and  blasphemy  ;  but  a  small  majority 
saved  their  lives  for  that  time ;  and  they  enacted  that 
Samuel  Gorton,  John  Weeks,  Randal  Holden,  Robert 
Potter,  Richard  Carder,  Francis  Weston,  and  John  War- 
ner, should  be  confined  in  seven  of  their  chief  towns, 
during  the  pleasure  of  the  court,  to  work  for  their  living, 
and  not  to  publish  tlieir  errors  nor  to  speak  against  the 
government,  each  upon  pain  of  death.  Some  others  had 
smaller  punishments. 

In  the  mean  time  war  had  broken  out  between  the  Nar- 
ragansets  and  the  Mohegans,  in  which  Uncas  prevailed, 
and  took  Miarrtanimo  prisoner,  and  carried  him  to  Hart- 
ford, and  left  him  in  the  hands  of  the  English,  at  his  own 
request ;  and  when  the  commissioners  met  at  Boston  in 
September,  they  debated  about  what  they  should  do  with 
him ;  and  though  they  could  not  see  any  right  they  had  to 
put  him  to  death,  yet  they  feared  that  if  he  was  set  at 
liberty  it  would  be  very  dangerous  to  themselves,  and 
therefore  they  delivered  him  to  Uncas,  for  him  to  execute 
him  without  torture,  which  he  did.*  Thus  one  evil  leads 
on  to  others,  like  the  breaking  forth  of  waters. 

For  the  confinement  of  Gorton  and  his  company  did  no 
good  to  them,  and  it  caused  uneasiness  to  many  of  their 
own  people ;  and  therefore  when  the  general  court  met 

♦  Winthrop,  p.  262.  295.  303.  305,  306. 


58  CHURCH    HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.       [cH.  III. 

at  Boston,  March  7,  1644,  they  passed  an  act,  which 
said,  **  It  is  ordered  that  Samuel  Gorton  and  the  rest  of 
that  company,  who  stand  confined,  shall  be  set  at  liberty ; 
provided  that  if  they  or  any  of  them  shall,  after  fourteen 
days  after  such  enlargement,  come  within  any  part  of  our 
jurisdiction,  either  in  Massachusetts,  or  in  or  near  Provi- 
dence, or  any  of  the  lands  of  Pumham  and  Socononco,  or 
elsewhere  within  our  jurisdiction,  then  such  person  or 
persons  shall  be  apprehended,  wheresoever  they  may  be 
taken,  and  shall  suffer  death  by  course  of  law ;  provided 
also,  that  during  all  their  continuance  in  our  bounds  in- 
habiting for  the  said  time  of  fourteen  days,  they  shall  be 
still  bound  to  the  rest  of  the  articles  of  their  former  con- 
finement, upon  the  penalty  therein  expressed." 

Thus  it  stands  upon  their  records.  And  one  of  the 
officers  who  brought  them  to  Boston,  says,  "  To  be  sure 
there  be  them  in  New  England,  that  have  Christ  Jesus 
and  his  blessed  ordinances  in  such  esteem,  that,  the  Lord 
assisting,  they  had  rather  lose  their  lives  than  suffer  them 
to  be  thus  blasphemed,  if  they  can  help  it.  And  whereas 
some  have  favoured  them,  and  endeavoured  to  bring  under 
blame  such  as  have  been  zealous  against  their  abominable 
doctrines ;  the  good  God  be  favourable  unto  them,  and 
prevent  them  from  coming  under  the  like  blame  with 
Ahab.  Yet  they  remained  in  their  old  way  ;  and  there  is 
somewhat  to  be  considered  in  it,  to  be  sure,  that  in  these 
days,  when  all  look  for  the  fall  of  antichrist,  such  detest- 
able doctrines  should  be  upheld,  and  persons  suffered, 
who  exceed  the  beast  himself  for  blasphemy ;  and  this  to 
be  done  by  those  that  would  be  counted  reformers,  and 
such  as  seek  the  utter  subversion  of  antichrist."* 

This  history  was  finished  in  1652  ;  and  it  discovers  the 
sincerity  of  the  actors  in  those  measures,  which  now  ap- 
pear very  strange.  And  if  any  men  had  a  right  to  use 
force  with  others  about  religious  affairs,  perhaps  these 
were  as  pious  men  as  ever  did  so,  as  I  observed  before. 
But  nothing  serves  more  to  prejudice  sinful  men  against 
the  truth,  than  injurious  treatment  from  tliose  who  teach 

*  Johnson's  History,  p.  187. 


1643.]  WILLIAMS  VISITS   ENGLAND.  59 

it ;  which  Gorton  and  his  company  have  evidenced  even 
to  this  day.  For  when  they  were  released,  they  went  to 
Rhode  Island,  and  from  thence  over  to  the  N  arragansets, 
where  they  procured  a  deed  from  the  Indians  of  all  their 
people  and  lands,  which  they  resigned  over  to  the  King 
of  England,  and  appointed  Gorton  and  others  as  their 
agents  to  carry  the  same  to  him,  dated  April  19,  1644. 
And  they  went  over  to  England  with  it,  and  there  pub- 
lished an  account  of  their  sufferings  at  Boston ;  and 
though  the  king  could  not  help  them,  yet  they  obtained 
an  order  from  the  Parliament  to  Massachusetts,  to  allow 
them  to  enjoy  the  lands  which  they  had  purchased,  and 
to  remove  any  obstructions  that  they  had  put  in  the  way 
of  it.  And  as  the  Earl  of  Warwick  was  their  great  friend 
in  this  affair,  they  called  their  town  Warwick.  And  Gor- 
ton taught  his  doctrines  there  for  many  years  ;  and  the 
effects  of  them,  and  of  the  persecutions  which  these  men 
suffered,  with  the  general  nature  of  sin,  have  caused  a 
large  part  of  their  posterity  to  neglect  all  religion  to  this 
day ;  others  of  them  have  become  professors  of  religion, 
but  not  in  the  Congregational  way. 

When  Mr.  Williams  saw  how  thing?  went  here,  and 
that  some  light  opened  in  England,  he  went  there  in  the 
spring  of  1643,  and  published  a  key  to  the  language  and 
customs  of  the  Indians  in  our  country  ;  which  the  His- 
torical Society  at  Boston  reprinted  in  1794.  And  as  Sir 
Henry  Vane,  who  was  Governor  at  Boston  in  the  time 
of  the  Pequot  war,  was  now  a  member  of  Parliament,  and 
had  a  great  regard  for  Mr.  Williams :  he  used  his  great 
influence  in  procuring  a  charter  for  him,  "Bordering 
northward  and  north-east  on  the  patent  of  Massachusetts, 
east  and  south-east  on  Plymouth  patent,  south  on  the 
ocean,  and  on  the  west  and  north-west  by  the  Indians 
called  Narragansets ;  the  whole  tract  extending  about 
twenty-five  miles  unto  the  Pequot  river  and  country;  to 
be  known  by  the  name  of  *  the  incorporation  of  Provi- 
dence plantations  in  the  Narraganset  bay,  in  New  Eng- 
land.'" It  gave  them  power  to  form  their  own  govern- 
ment, elect  all  their  officers,  and  to  make  all  their  laws, 
as  near  the  laws  of  England  as  they  could.     This  charter 


60  CHURCH    HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.       [CH.  III. 

was  dated  March  14,  1644,  and  was  signed  by  Robert 
Warwick,  Philip  Pembroke,  Say  and  Seal,  Philip  Whar- 
ton, Arthur  Haslerig,  Cornelius  Holland,  Henry  Vane, 
Samuel  Vassel,  John  Rolle,  Miles  Corbet,  and  William 
Spurstow. 

With  this  they  sent  a  letter  to  the  rulers  and  other 
friends  in  Massachusetts,  saying,  **  Taking  notice,  some 
of  us  of  long  time,  of  Mr.  Roger  Williams,  his  good  af- 
fections and  conscience,  and  of  his  sufferings  by  our  com- 
mon enemies  and  oppressors  of  God's  people — the  pre- 
lates ;  as  also  of  his  great  industry  and  travel  in  his  print- 
ed Indian  labours  in  your  parts,  the  like  whereof  we  have 
not  seen  extant  from  any  part  of  America,  and  in  which 
respect  it  hath  pleased  both  houses  of  Parliament  freely 
to  grant  unto  him  and  friends  with  him  a  free  and  absolute 
charter  of  civil  government  for  these  parts  of  his  abode ; 
and  withal  sorrowfully  resenting,  that  amongst  good  men, 
our  friends,  driven  to  the  ends  of  the  earth,  exercised 
with  the  trials  of  a  wilderness,  and  who  mutually  give 
good  testimony  each  of  other,  as  we  observe  you  do  of 
him,  and  he  abundantly  of  you ;  there  should  be  such  a 
distance.  We  thought  it  fit  upon  divers  considerations, 
to  profess  our  great  desires  of  both  your  utmost  endea- 
vours of  nearer  closing,  and  of  ready  expressing  of  these 
good  affections,  which  we  perceive  you  bear  each  to 
other,  in  the  actual  performance  of  all  friendly  offices ; 
the  rather  because  of  those  bad  neighbours  you  are  like 
to  find  too  near  you  in  Virginia,  and  the  unfriendly  visits 
from  the  west  of  England  and  from  Ireland  ;*  that  how- 
soever it  may  please  the  Most  High  to  shake  bur  founda- 
tions, yet  the  report  of  your  peaceable  and  prosperous 
plantations  may  be  some  refreshing  to  your  true  and 
faithful  friends."t 

Mr.  Williams  arrived  at  Boston  with  this  letter,  in  Sep- 
tember, 1644,  and  they  let  him  pass  on  to  Providence  ; 
but  they  never  took  off  his  sentence  of  banishment,  noi 

*  Places  that  were  then  in  the  king's  party,  but  were  soon  after 
brought  under  the  parliament, 
f  Winthrop,  p.  356. 


1644.]  WILLIAMS    EXPOSES    PERSECUTION.  61 

ever  allowed  of  the  validity  of  the  charter  of  his  own 
civil  government  until  1656.  And  we  are  now  to  see  the 
cause  of  it  more  fully.  For  Mr.  Williams  published  a 
book  in  London  that  year,  which  opened  the  evil  of  their 
conduct,  beyond  any  thing  he  had  done  before.  The  title 
of  it  is,  **  The  bloody  tenet  of  persecution  for  the  cause  of 
conscience."  It  appeared  to  Mr.  Cotton  to  be  of  so  dan- 
gerous tendency  to  them,  that  he  published  an  answer  to  it 
in  1647,  which  he  called,  **  The  bloody  tenet  washed,  and 
made  white  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb."  But  Williams 
replied  to  it  in  1652;  and  called  it,  "The  bloody  tenet 
yet  more  bloody,  by  Mr.  Cotton's  endeavour  to  wash  it 
white."  And  I  will  give  a  few  extracts  from  these  writings. 

A  prisoner  in  London  wrote  some  reasons  against  per- 
secution, which  one  Hall  of  Roxbury  obtained,  and  sent 
it  to  Mr.  Cotton,  and  he  wrote  an  answer  to  it.  But  as 
Mr.  Hall  was  not  satisfied  therewith,  he  sent  it  to  Mr. 
Williams,  who  now  published  the  whole  controversy. 
The  prisoner  first  brought  the  case  which  Christ  has 
stated,  of  the  children  of  his  kingdom,  and  the  children 
of  the  devil,  appearing  by  their  fruits  in  the  field  of  the 
world,  when  he  said,  *♦  Let  both  grow  together  until  the 
harvest."  Matt.  xiii.  30.  38.  And  the  prisoner  said, 
**  the  reason  seems  to  be,  because  they  who  are  tares, 
may  hereafter  become  wheat ;  they  who  are  blind,  may 
hereafter  see  ;  they  who  resist  him,  may  hereafter  receive 
him  ;  they  who  are  now  in  the  devil's  snare,  and  averse 
to  the  truth,  may  hereafter  come  to  repentance  ;  they  who 
are  now  blasphemers  and  persecutors,  as  Paul  was,  may 
in  time  becoirft  faithful,  as  he  did  ;  they  who  are  now  idol- 
aters, as  the  Corinthians  once  were,  may  hereafter  become 
true  worshippers,  as  they  did;  (1  Cor.  vi.  9;)  they  who 
are  no  people  of  God,  nor  under  mercy,  may  hereafter 
become  his  people,  and  obtain  mercy.    1  Peter  ii.  10.* 

Now,  though  these  things  are  very  plain,  yet  Mr.  Cot- 
ton went  on  for  more  than  forty  pages,  before  he  came  to 
the  case  in  hand,  which  the  prisoner  said  in  few  words, 
*  Tares    are   antichristians   or   false  Christians."!     And 


Bloody  tenet,  p.  2.  f  Ibid.  p.  44. 

6 


62  CHURCH     HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.      [^CH.  III. 

when  Mr.  Cotton  came  to  this  he  said,  **  It  is  not  the  will 
of  Christ  that  antichrist  and  antichristianity  should  be 
tolerated  in  the  world,  until  the  end  of  the  world.  For 
God  will  put  it  into  the  hearts  of  faithful  princes  (as  they 
have  given  their  kingdoms  to  the  beast,  so)  in  fulness  of 
time  to  hate  the  whore,  to  leave  her  desolate  and  naked, 
and  to  burn  her  flesh  with  fire.  Rev.  xvii.  16,  17."  *" 
Mr.  Williams  had  before  said,  '*  This  hating,  and  desolat- 
ing, and  making  naked,  and  burning,  shall  not  arise  by  way 
of  ordinance,  warranted  by  the  institution  of  Christ  Je- 
sus ;  but  by  way  of  providence,  when  (as  it  useth  to  be 
with  whores  and  their  lovers)  the  church  of  Rome  and 
her  great  lovers  shall  fall  out ;  and,  by  the  righteous  ven- 
geance of  God  upon  her,  drunk  with  the  blood  of  the 
saints,  these  mighty  fornicators  shall  turn  their  love  into 
hatred,  which  shall  make  her  a  poor  naked  whore,  torn 
and  consumed."!  But  Mr.  Cotton  passed  this  over  in 
silence. 

Now  if  we  take  the  word  flesh  here  to  mean  riches,  it 
is  well  known  that  the  King  of  France  did  the  most  to 
enrich  the  pope,  of  any  king  upon  earth  ;  and  the  French 
nation  have  now  taken  the  riches  of  the  church  of  Rome 
to  support  war  and  vengeance  against  her,  above  all 
others  in  the  world.  And  is  not  this  according  to  that 
prophecy  ? 

Of  civil  government,  Mr.  Williams  says,  '*  The  sove- 
reign, original,  and  foundation  of  civil  power  lies  in  the 
people  ;  and  it  is  evident  that  such  governments  as  are  by 
them  erected  and  established,  have  no  more  power,  nor 
for  no  longer  time,  than  the  civil  power  or  people  con- 
senting and  agreeing  shall  betrust  them  with.  This  is 
clear,  not  only  in  reason,  but  in  the  experience  of  all 
commonweals,  where  the  people  are  not  deprived  of  their 
natural  freedom  by  the  power  of  tyrants. "J  Yea,  the 
experience  of  all  America,  in  her  deliverance  from  the 
tyranny  of  Britain,  confirms  this  truth.  And  as  to  religion, 
Mr.  Williams  says,  "  Persons  may  with  less  sin  be  forced 

*  Tenet  washed,  p.  42,  43.        f  Bloody  tenet,  p.  246. 
i  Bloody  tenet,  p.  137. 


\644.]  cotton's  reply  to  williams.  63 

to  marry  whom  they  cannot  love,  than  to  worship  where 
they  cannot  believe.*     And  I  find  no  answer  to  this. 

Mr.  Cotton  was  so  far  from  thinking  that  he  was  a  per- 
secutor, fhat  he  said,  '*  It  is  not  lawful  to  prosecute  any, 
until  after  admonition  once  or  twice ;  and  so  the  apostle 
directeth,  and  giveth  the  reason,  that  in  fundamental 
points  of  doctrine  or  worship,  the  word  of  God  is  so 
clear,  that  he  cannot  but  be  convinced  in  conscience  of  the 
dangerous  error  of  his  way,  after  admonition  once  or 
twice,  wisely  and  faithfully  dispensed.  And  then  if  any 
one  persist,  it  is  not  out  of  conscience,  but  against  his 
conscience,  as  the  apostle  saith.  Titus  iii.  10,  11." 
Upon  which  Williams  says,  '*  Titus,  unto  whom  these 
directions  were  written,  was  no  minister  of  the  civil  state, 
armed  with  the  material  sword,  who  might  inflict  punish- 
ments upon  the  bodies  of  men,  by  imprisonments,  whip- 
ping, fines,  banishment,  and  death.  Titus  was  a  minister 
of  the  gospel,  armed  only  with  the  spiritual  sword  of  the 
word  of  God,  and  such  spiritual  weapons  as  were  mighty 
through  God  to  the  casting  down  strongholds ;  yea, 
every  high  thought  of  the  highest  head  and  heart  in 
the  woilrl.  1  Cor.  x.  4."t  And  he  observes  that  the 
charge-  and  exhortations  which  Christ  gave  to  his  minis- 
ters, ar:^  now  applied  to  civil  magistrates  in  this  affair. 
But  upon  this  Mr.  Cotton  says, 

'*  Look  the  answer  through,  and  you  shall  find  not  one 
of  the  charges  or  exhortations  given  to  ministers,  ever 
directed  by  the  answerer  to  civil  magistrates  :  the  falsehood 
of  the  discusser  in  this  charge  upon  the  answer  is  palpa- 
ble and  notorious."  And  yet  in  this  book  he  says,  **  the 
good  that  is  brought  to  princes  and  subjects  by  the  due 
punishment  of  apostate  seducers,  idolaters,  and  blas- 
phemers, is  manifold.  1.  It  putteth  away  evil  from  the 
people,  and  cutteth  off  a  gangrene,  which  would  spread  to 
further  ungodliness.  Deut.xiii.5.  2  Tim.  ii.  16 — 18.  2.  It 
drivetli  away  wolves  from  worrying  and  scattering  the 
sheep  of  Christ ;  for  false  teachers  be  wolves.  Matt.  vi. 
15.  Acts  XX.  29.     And  the  very  name  of  wolves  holdeth 

*  Bloody  tenet,  p.  143.  f  Ibid.  p.  36. 


64  CHURCH    HISTORY    OF    NEW  ENGLAND.       [CH.  III. 

forth  what  benefit  will  redound  to  the  sheep,  by  either 
killing  them,  or  driving  them  away."* 

If  any  man  will  take  the  pains  to  examine  Mr.  Cot- 
ton's book  well,  he  will  find  that  his  main  arguments  are 
taken  from  Scriptures  which  belong  to  the  church,  and  not 
to  the  state.  And  that  passage  in  the  epistle  to  Titus, 
about  a  heretic  condemned  of  himself,  is  referred  to  from 
one  end  of  his  book  to  the  other.  And  it  is  implied  in 
the  sentence  of  banishment  passed  against  Mr.  Williams, 
where  he  is  condemned  for  writing  letters  against  their 
rulers  '*  before  any  conviction."  This  idea  the  court  evi- 
dently took  from  Mr.  Cotton,  and  had  great  influence  in  their 
government.  And  as  Williams  denied  that  Christ  had 
appointed  the  civil  sword  as  a  remedy  against  false 
teachers.  Cotton  said,  "it  is  evident  that  the  civil  sword 
was  appointed  for  a  remedy  in  this  case.  Deut.  xiii.  And 
appointed  it  was  by  that  angel  of  God's  presence,  whom 
God  promised  to  send  with  his  people,  as  being  unwilling 
to  go  with  them  himself.  Exod.  xxxiii.  2^  3.  And  that 
angel  was  Christ,  whom  they  tempted  in  the  wilderness. 
I  Cor.  X.  9.  And  therefore  it  cannot  truly  be  said,  that 
the  Lord  Jesus  never  appointed  the  civil  sword  for  a  re- 
medy in  such  case ;  for  he  did  expressly  appoint  it  in  the 
Old  Testament ;  nor  did  he  ever  abrogate  it  in  the  New. 
The  reason  of  the  law,  which  is  the  life  of  the  law,  is  of 
eternal  force  and  equity  in  all  ages:  Thou  shalt  surely  kill 
him,  because  he  hath  sought  to  thrust  thee  away  from  the 
Lord  thy  God,  Deut.  xiii.  9,  10.  This  reason  is  of 
moral :  that  is,  of  universal  and  perpetual  equity,  to  put 
to  death  any  apostate  seducing  idolater  or  heretic,  who 
seeketh  to  thrust  away  the  souls  of  God's  people  from 
the  Lord  their  God."t 

From  hence  Williams  called  his  reply,  "  The  bloody 
tenet  yet  more  bloody  by  Mr.  Cotton's  endeavour  to  wash 
it  white ;"  from  which  many  extracts  are  made  in  the 
first  volume  of  our  history ;  and  also  an  extract  from  Dr. 
Owen,  who  said,  ''  He  who  holds  the  truth  may  be  con- 
futed, but  he  cannot  be  convinced  but  by  the  truth.     That 

•  Tenet  washed,  p.  88.  137,  138.        f  Ibid.  p.  66,  67. 


1646.]  OPINIONS  OF  DR.   OWEN.  65 

a  man  should  be  said  to  be  convinced  of  a  truth,  and  yet 
that  truth  not  shine  in  upon  his  understanding",  to  the  ex- 
pelling the  contrary  error,  to  me  is  strange.  To  be  con- 
vinced is  to  be  overpowered  by  the  evidence  of  that  which 
before  a  man  knew  not.  I  once  knew  a  scholqir  invited 
to  a  dispute  with  another  man  about  something  in  con- 
troversy in  religion ;  in  his  own,  and  in  the  judgment  of 
all  the  bystanders,  the  opposing  person  was  utterly  con- 
futed :  and  yet  the  scholar,  within  a  few  months,  was 
taught  of  God,  and  clearly  convinced  that  it  was  an  error 
which  he  had  maintained,  and  the  truth  which  he  op- 
posed ;  and  then,  and  not  till  then,  did  he  cease  to  won- 
der that  the  other  was  not  convinced  by  his  strong  argu- 
ments as  he  before  had  thought.  To  say  a  man  is  con- 
vinced, when  either  from  want  of  skill  and  abihty,  or  the 
like,  he  cannot  maintain  his  opinion  against  all  men,  is  a 
mere  conceit.  That  they  are  obstinate  and  pertinacious 
is  a  cheap  supposal  taken  up  without  the  price  of  a  proof. 
As  the  conviction  is  imposed — not  owned,  so  is  this  ob- 
stinacy :  if  we  may  be  judges  of  other  men's  obstinacy, 
all  will  be  plain ;  but  if  ever  they  get  uppermost,  they  will 
be  judges  of  ours."*  This  the  great  Dr.  Owen  published 
in  London  the  year  after  Mr.  Cotton's  book  came  out 
there.  But  it  was  so  little  regarded  here,  that  violent 
methods  were  still  pursed  in  this  country,  though  against 
the  minds  of  many. 

When  the  commissioners  of  the  united  colonies  met  at 
New  Haven,  September  9,  1646,  they  said,  '*  Upon  se- 
rious consideration  of  the  spreading  nature  of  error,  the 
dangerous  growth  and  effects  thereof  in  other  places,  and 
especially  how  the  purity  and  power  both  of  religion  and 
civil  order  is  already  much  complained  of,  if  not  wholly 
lost  in  part  of  New  England  by  a  licentious  liberty  granted 
and  setded,  whereby  many,  casting  off  the  rule  of  the 
word,  profess  and  practise  what  is  good  in  their  own 
eyes  ;  and  upon  information  of  what  petitions  have  been 
lately  put  up  in  some  of  the  colonies  against  the  good  and 
straight  ways  of  Christ,  both  in  the  churches  and  in  the 

*  Folio  collection  of  his  tracts,  p.  312. 
6* 


66  CHURCH  HISTORY  OF   NEW    ENGLAND.       [CH.  III. 

commonwealth,  the  commissioners,  remembering  that 
these  colonies,  for  themselves  and  their  posterity,  did  unite 
into  this  firm  and  perpetual  league  as  for  other  respects, 
so  for  mutual  advice,  that  the  truth  and  liberties  of  the 
gospel  might  be  preserved  and  perpetuated,  thought  it 
their  duty  seriously  to  commend  it  to  the  care  and  consi- 
deration of  each  general  court  within  these  united  colo- 
nies, that  as  they  have  laid  their  foundations  and  mea- 
sured the  house  of  God,  the  worship  and  worshippers,  by 
the  rod  God  hath  put  into  their  hands,  so  they  would 
walk  on  and  build  up  (all  discouragements  and  difficulties 
notwithstanding)  with  undaunted  heart  and  unwearied 
hand,  according  to  the  same  rules  and  patterns ;  that  a  due 
watch  be  kept  at  the  doors  of  God's  house,  that  none  be 
admitted  as  members  of  the  body  of  Christ,  but  such  as 
hold  forth  eflfectual  callmg,  and  thereby  union  with  Christ 
the  head;  and  those  whom  Christ  hath  received,  and  enter 
by  an  express  covenant  to  observe  the  laws  and  duties  of 
that  spiritual  corporation ;  that  baptism,  the  seal  of  the 
covenant,  be  administered  only  to  such  members  and  their 
immediate  seed  ;  that  Anabaptism,  Familism,  Antinomian- 
ism,  and  generally  all  errors  of  like  nature  which  oppose, 
undermine,  and  slight  either  the  Scriptures,  the  Sabbath, 
or  other  ordinances  of  God,  bring  in  and  cry  up  unwar* 
rantable  revelations,  inventions  of  men,  or  any  carnal 
liberty  under  a  deceitful  colour  of  liberty  of  conscience, 
may  be  duly  and  seasonably  suppressed ;  though  they 
wish  as  much  forbearance  and  respect  may  be  had  of 
tender  consciences  seeking  light,  as  may  stand  with  the 
purity  of  religion  and  peace  of  the  churches." 

But  the  commissioners  from  Plymouth  did  not  concur 
with  this  act.  They  had  not  lost  the  impression  of  the 
instructions  which  they  received  before  they  came  to 
America ;  which  said,  "  As  the  kingdom  of  Christ  is  not 
of  this  world,  but  spiritual,  and  he  a  spiritual  king,  so 
must  the  government  of  this  spiritual  kingdom  under  this 
spiritual  king  needs  be  spiritual,  and  all  the  laws  of  it. 
And  as  Christ  Jesus  hath,  by  the  merits  of  his  priesthood, 
redeemed  as  well  the  body  as  the  soul  ;*  so  is  he  by  the 
*  John  xviii.  36.    1  Cor.  vL  20. 


1647.]  PLAN    OF    WILLIAMS'    GOVERNMENT.  67 

sceptre  of  his  kingdom  to  rule  and  reign  over  both ;  unto 
which  Christian  magistrates,  as  well  as  meaner  persons, 
ought  to  submit  themselves  ;  and  the  more  Christian  they 
are,  the  more  meekly  to  take  the  yoke  of  Christ  upon 
them ;  and  the  greater  authority  they  have,  the  more  ef- 
fectually to  advance  his  sceptre  over  themselves  and  their 
people,  by  all  good  means.  Neither  can  there  be  any 
reason  given  why  the  merits  of  saints  may  not  as  well  be 
mingled  with  the  merits  of  Christ  for  the  saving  of  the 
church,  as  the  laws  of  men  with  his  laws,  for  the  ruling 
and  guiding  of  it.  He  is  as  absolute  and  as  entire  a  king 
as  he  is  a  priest,  and  his  people  must  be  as  careful  to  pre- 
serve the  dignity  of  the  one,  as  to  enjoy  the  benefit  of  the 
other."* 


CHAPTER  IV. 

Plan  of  Williams*  government ;  anil  of  the  churches  in  Massachu^ 
setts — Cambridge  platform — Williams  on  national  confusion — 
Coddington  does  hurt  to  his  own  colony — Winthrop  dies — Clarke 
and  Holmes  sufter  at  Boston — Williams  and  Clarke  go  to  Eng- 
land, and  expose  such  doings  there — Letter  about  it  from  thence 
— Cotton  dies — Infant  baptism  opposed  at  Cambridge — Williams 
and  Clarke  opposed  in  England,  and  yet  prevail — Williams  re- 
turns, and  is  president  here  ;  and  prevails  in  his  colony — Quakers 
come  over  and  behave  provokingly,  and  four  of  them  were  hanged. 

The  severities  that  were  exercised  in  the  other  colo- 
nies caused  many  of  different  opinions  to  remove  into 
Providence  colony,  where  they  could  have  full  liberty ; 
and  this  made  it  more  difficult  for  them  to  agree  upon 
their  plan  of  government.  But  on  May  19,  1647, 
they  met  at  Portsmouth,  and  elected  a  president,  as  their 
chief  ruler,  and  an  assistant  from  each  of  the  towns  of 
Providence,  Portsmouth,  Newport,  and  Warwick ;  and 
they  were  to  be  judges  in  executive  courts,  and  to  keep 

*  Robinsonr  against  Bernard,  p.  38. . 


68  CHURCH    HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.       [CH.  IV. 

the  peace.  But  six  representatives  from  each  town  were 
to  make  their  laws,  which  were  to  be  sent  to  each  town, 
to  be  established  or  disannulled  by  the  major  vote  of  all 
their  freemen.  Mr.  Williams  was  their  assistant  for 
Providence;  but  such  difficulties  arose  in  the  colony, 
that  he  drew  a  covenant  in  December  following  for  all  to 
sign  who  would,  wherein  they  say,  "  That  government 
held  forth  through  love,  union,  and  order,  though  by  few 
in  number  and  mean  in  condition,  yet  hath  by  experience 
withstood  and  overcome  mighty  opposers ;  and,  above  all, 
the  several  unexpected  deliverances  of  this  poor  planta- 
tion, by  that  mighty  Providence  who  is  still  able  to  de- 
liver us,  through  love,  union,  and  order  ;  therefore  being 
sensible  of  these  great  and  weighty  premises,  and  now 
met  together  to  consult  about  our  peace  and  liberty, 
whereby  our  families  and  posterity  will  still  enjoy  these 
favours ;  and  that  we  may  declare  unto  all  the  free  dis- 
charge of  our  conscience  and  duties,  whereby  it  may  ap- 
pear upon  record  that  we  are  not  wilfully  opposite,  nor 
careless  and  senseless,  and  so  the  means  of  our  own  and 
others'  ruin  and  destruction  ;  and  especially  in  testimony 
of  our  fidelity  and  affection  unto  one  another  here  pre- 
sent, we  promise  unto  each  other  to  keep  unto  the  ensu- 
ing particulars."  And  so  went  on  to  lay  down  excellent 
rules  of  conduct,  in  order  to  remove  their  difficulties. 

The  name  Providence,  which  Mr.  Williams  gave  both 
to  his  town  and  colony,  and  the  word  hope,  in  their  pub- 
lic seal,  with  the  figure  of  an  anchor  therein,  were  de- 
signed to  hold  forth  the  hope  that  he  had  in  God,  that  he 
would  succeed  the  great  work  that  he  was  engaged  in,  of 
establishing  a  civil  government  upon  the  principles  of  true 
freedom  to  soul  and  body.  This  appears  plain  in  many 
of  his  writings.  But  as  they  now  appeared  to  be  weak, 
and  to  have  divisions  among  them,  Massachusetts  still 
refused  to  own  them  as  a  distinct  government,  and  tried 
all  they  could  to  bring  them  under  their  power,  which 
they  thought  was  a  holy  government ;  and  to  continue  it 
so.  Governor  Winthrop  says, 

"Two  churches  were  appointed  to  be  gathered,  one  at 
Haverhill  and  the  other  at  Andover,  both  upon  Merri- 


1647.]  VISIT   OF    HUGH    P£T£RS.  60^ 

mack  river.  They  had  given  notice  thereof  to  the  ma- 
gistrates and  elders,  who  desired,  in  regard  of  their  re- 
moteness and  scarcity  of  housing  there,  that  the  meeting 
might  be  at  Rowley,  which  they  assented  unto ;  but  be- 
ing assembled,  most  of  those  who  were  to  join  refused 
to  declare  how  God  had  carried  on  the  work  of  grace  in 
them,  because  they  had  declared  it  formerly  in  their  ad- 
mission into  other  churches ;  whereupon  the  assembly 
broke  up  without  proceeding."  This  was  in  the  fall 
of  1644.*  Their  strictness  of  government,  both  in  church 
and  state,  did  much  towards  restraining  of  immoralities 
among  them  ;  so  much  that  Mr.  Hugh  Peters,  who  came 
over  to  Boston  in  1635,  and  travelled  and  laboured  much 
in  this  country,  until  he  went  back  upon  the  turn  of  times 
in  England,  where  he  became  very  famous,  gave  an  ex- 
traordinary character  of  New  England.  When  the  Par- 
liament had  conquered  all  the  king's  forces  in  England, 
they  kept  a  day  of  thanksgiving  for  it,  April  2,  1646,  and 
Peters  preached  a  sermon  before  the  Parliament,  the 
Westminster  Assembly  of  Divines,  and  the  corporation  of 
the  city  of  London,  to  whom  he  said,  **  I  have  lived  in  a 
country,  where  for  seven  years  I  never  saw  a  beggar,  nor 
heard  an  oath,  nor  looked  upon  a  drunkard."!  This  he 
said  to  urge  them  into  like  measures  with  Massachu- 
setts. 

But  a  greater  sight  now  appears  before  the  world,  than 
was  then  so  much  extolled.  For  th«  scheme  which  they  so 
much  admired,  has  long  since  been  broken  and  dissolved ; 
and  the  principles  which  were  then  despised  and  persecu- 
ted, are  now  become  the  glory  of  America.  Roger  Wil- 
liams, John  Clarke,  Joseph  Clarke,  Thomas  Olney,  Gre- 
gory Dexter,  Samuel  Hubbard,  and  many  others  in  that  lit- 
tle colony,  held  the  pure  doctrines  of  grace,  and  the  import- 
ance of  a  holy  life,  as  much  as  the  fathers  of  Massachu- 
setts did  ;  and  they  established  the  first  government  upon 
earth,  that  gave  equal  liberty,  civil  and  religious,  which 
is  now  enjoyed  in  the  most  parts  of  America.  General 
Greene  also,  the  second  military  character  in  our  revolu 

*  Winthrop,p.  356.  f  Peters'  Sermon,  p.  44. 


1 


70  CHURCH    HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.       [CH.  IV. 

tionary  war,  sprang  from  one  of  the  first  planters  of  Pro- 
vidence. These  things  show  how  great  men  have  been 
mistaken,  and  that  we  ever  should  judge  of  things  by  the 
light  of  revelation,  and  not  take  any  men  as  our  guides, 
further  than  they  appear  to  walk  in  that  light.  ^_J 

Many  books  were  brought  from  England  about  this 
time,  but  none  were  more  disagreeable  to  the  fathers  of 
Massachusetts,  than  those  which  were  written  against  in- 
fant baptism,  and  for  liberty  of  conscience.  Several 
extracts  from  those  writings  have  already  been  given. 
And  the  public  records  at  Boston,  1646,  show  that  con- 
troversies about  infant  baptism  were  a  chief  cause  of  their 
calling  a  synod,  to  compose  a  platform  of  government 
for  their  churches.  Ministers  were  called  from  all  their 
colonies  to  assist  in  this  work.  But  Mr.  Hooker  of  Hart- 
ford died  before  they  met,  on  July  7,  1647.  A  book  of 
his  was  printed  in  London,  after  his  death,  in  which  he 
says,  '*  Children,  as  children,  have  no  right  to  baptism  ; 
so  that  it  belongs  not  to  any  predecessors,  either  nearer 
or  further  off,  removed  from  the  next  parents,  to  give 
right  of  this  privilege  to  their  children."*  And  when 
the  synod  met  in  1648,  and  composed  their  platform, 
which  was  approved  by  their  general  court,  the  majority 
of  them  agreed  with  him  in  this,  though  Mr.  Cotton 
would  have  extended  it  further.  And  though  he,  and 
their  churches  in  general,  had  allowed  no  elders  to  lay  on 
hands  in  ordination,  but  the  elders  of  the  church  in  which 
the  pastor  was  ordained ;"  yet  they  now  said,  "In 
churches  where  there  are  no  elders,  and  the  church  so 
desire,  we  see  not  why  imposition  of  hands  may  not  be 
performed  by  the  elders  of  other  churches."  In  this  I 
think  they  were  right ;  but  when  they  say,  "  If  any 
church,  one  or  more,  shall  grow  schismatical,  rending 
itself  from  the  communion  of  other  churches,  or  shall 
walk  incorrigibly  or  obstinately  in  any  corrupt  way  of 
their  own,  contrary  to  the  rule  of  the  word  ;  in  such  case 
the  magistrate  is  to  put  forth  his  coercive  power,  as  the 
matter  shall  require  ;t  here  I  must  enter  my  dissent,  be- 

*  Survey  of  Church  Discipline,  part  iii,  p.  13 
f  Platform,  eh.  ix,  xvii. 


1648.3  CHURCH    AND    STATE.  71 

cause  this  principle  is  the  root  of  all  the  bloody  persecu- 
tion that  ever  was  in  the  world. 

Mr.  Williams  observes,  that  the  attempts  for  a  reforma- 
tion m  England,  by  the  power  of  the  magistrate,  filled 
their  country  with  blood  and  confusion  for  a  hundred 
years.  For  says  he,  "  Henry  the  Seventh  leaves  Eng- 
land under  the  slavish  bondage  of  the  pope's  yoke. 
Henry  the  Eighth  reforms  all  England  to  a  new  fashion, 
half  Papist,  half  Protestant.  King  Edward  the  Sixth 
turns  about  the  wheels  of  state,  and  works  the  whole 
land  to  absolute  Protestantism.  Queen  Mary,  succeeding 
to  the  helm,  steers  a  direct  contrary  course,  breaks  in 
pieces  all  that  Edward  wrought,  and  brings  forth  an  old 
edition  of  England's  reformation,  all  Popish.  Mary  not 
living  out  half  her  days,  (as  the  prophet  speaks  of  bloody 
persons,)  Elizabeth  (like  Joseph)  is  advanced  from  the 
prison  to  the  palace,  and  from  the  irons  to  the  crown ; 
she  plucks  up  all  her  sister  Mary's  plants,  and  sounds  a 
trumpet,  all  Protestant.  What  sober  man  is  not  amazed 
at  these  revolutions  !"* 

Yet  as  all  these  revolutions  were  made  by  rulers  who 
were  not  comparable  to  the  godly  magistrates  and  minis- 
ters here,  they  regarded  not  the  warnings  of  men  whom 
they  thought  to  be  deceived.  And  a  writ  was  sent  from 
Boston,  to  cite  men  in  the  midst  of  Providence  colony,  to 
come  to  Boston  to  answer  to  complaints  that  were  entered 
there,  dated  June  20,  1650;  which  writ  is  recorded  at 
Providence.  Not  only  so,  but  when  Mr.  Coddington  was 
elected  president  of  his  colony.  May  16,  1648,  he  refused 
to  serve,  because  William  Dyer  had  commenced  an  action 
against  him  about  some  lands  ;  and  in  September  after  he 
went  and  tried  to  get  Rhode  Island  to  be  received  into 
-confederacy  with  the  united  colonies  ;  and  as  that  scheme 
failed,  he  went  to  England,  in  the  year  1651,  and  obtain- 
ed a  commission  for  himself  to  be  governor  of  that 
island,  separate  from  the  rest  of  the  colony,  when  he  had 
the  deeds  of  the  whole  island  in  his  own  hands.  This 
caused  such  a  fire  of  contention  among  them,  that  one 

*  Bloody  tenet,  p.  197. 


/ 


72  CHURCH    HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.       fcH.  IV. 

man  was  condemned  by  a  vote  of  the  town  of  Newport, 
and  was  carried  out  and  shot  to  death  in  their  presence. 
How  they  were  relieved  will  appear  hereafter. 

Governor  Winthrop  was  an  excellent  ruler,  until  he 
died,  March  26,  1649,  in  his  62d  year.  He  kept  a  jour- 
nal of  remarkable  events  in  his  colony,  from  1630,  until 
near  his  end.  Hubbard,  Mather,  and  Prince  made  great 
use  of  it  in  their  histories.  But  the  first  volume  of  it 
was  published  entire  in  1790,  as  it  never  was  before.  It 
gives  the  clearest  account  of  dates,  principles,  and  mo- 
tives of  actions  in  their  government,  of  any  work  that 
ever  was  published.  By  it  we  may  learn  that  he  was  for 
milder  measures  with  dissenters  from  their  worship,  than 
the  majority  of  their  rulers  and  ministers  were  ;  and 
though  they  drew  him  into  greater  severities  than  he  de- 
sired, yet  near  his  end,  when  Mr.  Dudley  desired  him  to 
sign  an  order  to  banish  a  person  for  heterodoxy,  he  re- 
fused, saying,  "We  have  done  too  much  of  that  work  al- 
ready."* He  spent  a  large  part  of  his  great  estate  in  pro- 
moting the  plantation  of  his  colony,  though  he  met  with 
much  ungrateful  treatment  therein  ;  but  his  eldest  son  went 
over  and  procured  Connecticut  charter,  and  was  governor 
of  that  colony  until  he  died,  in  1676.  These  were  great 
honours  for  one  family. 

Mr.  John  Clarke  was  an  assistant  and  the  treasurer  of 
Rhode  Island  colony  in  1649  ;  but  that  could  not  secure 
him  from  cruel  persecution  in  Massachusetts  two  years 
after,  with  Mr.  Obadiah  Holmes,  who  sprang  from  a  good 
family  in  England.  When  Holmes  came  over  first 
to  this  country,  he  joined  the  church  in  Salem,  and  was 
dismissed  from  thence  to  the  church  in  Rehoboth,  under 
the  ministry  of  Mr.  Samuel  Newman.  With  them  he 
walked  about  five  years,  and  then  he  withdrew  from 
Newman,  because  he  had  assumed  a  presbyterial  power 
over  the  church.  Soon  after,  he  and  some  became  Bap- 
tists, upon  which  Newman  excommunicated  them,  and 
then  got  them  presented  to  the  court  of  Plymouth,  June 
4,  1650.     And  when  they  came  there,  they  found  that 

*  Belknap's  Biography,  vol.  ii  p.  356. 


1651.]  BAPTIST    TESTIMONIES.  73 

one  letter  was  sent  to  the  court  against  them  from  Reho- 
both,  another  from  Taunton,  a  third  from  most  of  the 
ministers  in  Plymouth  colony,  and  a  fourth  from  the  court 
at  Boston,  all  urging  sharp  dealings  with  them.  But 
Governor  Bradford  and  his  court  only  charged  them  to 
desist  from  their  separate  meeting  at  Rehoboth,  and  ad- 
journed their  case  to  October  court,  when  they  were  dis- 
missed without  any  punishment.  Such  was  then  the 
government  of  Plymouth  colony.  But  how  different  w;.s 
that  of  Massachusetts  !  There  Mr.  Clarke  and  two  of 
his  brethren  went  to  visit  an  old  brother  of  theirs  at  Lynn, 
beyond  Boston,  where  they  arrived  July  19,  1651,  and 
held  worship  with  him  the  next  day,  which  was  the 
Lord's  day.  But  Mr.  Clarke  could  not  get  through  his 
first  sermon  before  he  and  his  friends  were  seized  by  an 
officer,  and  carried  to  a  tavern,  and  to  the  parish  worship 
in  the  afternoon  ;  and  at  the  close  of  it  Clarke  spake  a 
few  words,  and  then  a  magistrate  sent  them  into  confine- 
ment, and  next  day  to  Boston  prison.  And  on  July  31, 
they  were  tried  before  the  icourt  of  assistants,  by  whom 
Clarke  was  fined  twenty  pounds.  Holmes  thirty,  and 
John  Crandal  five,  or  each  to  be  well  whipped.  When 
Judge  Endicot  gave  this  sentence  against  them,  he  said, 
**  You  go  up  and  down,  and  secretly  insinuate  things  into 
those  that  are  weak,  but  you  cannot  maintain  it  before  our 
ministers ;  you  m^y  try  and  dispute  with  them."  There- 
fore Mr.  Clarke  wrote  from  the  prison  to  the  court,  and 
proposed  a  fair  dispute  upon  his  principles  with  any  of 
their  ministers.  And  upon  asking  what  said  principles 
were,  he  said, 

*'  I  testify  that  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  whom  God  hath 
raised  from  the  dead,  is  made  Lord  and  Christ ;  this  Jesus 
I  say  is  Christ ;  in  English,  the  anointed  one ;  hath  a 
name  above  every  name  ;  he  is  the  anointed  Priest,  none 
to  or  with  him  in  point  of  atonement ;  the  anointed  Pro- 
phet, none  to  him  in  point  of  institution  ;  the  anointed 
King,  who  is  gone  unto  his  Father  for  his  glorious  king- 
dom, and  shall,  ere  long,  return  again ;  and  that  this  Je- 
sus Christ  is  also  Lord,  none  to  or  with  him  by  way  of 
commanding  and  ordering,  with  reference  to  the  worship 

7 


74  CHURCH     HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.      [CH.   IV. 

of  God,  the  household  of  faith,  which  being  purchased 
with  his  blood  as  a  priest,  instructed  and  nourished  by 
his  Spirit  as  a  prophet,  do  wait  in  his  appointments,  as 
he  is  the  Lord,  in  hope  of  that  glorious  kingdom,  wliich 
shall  ere  long  appear.  2.  I  testify  that  baptism,  or  dip- 
ping in  water,  is  one  of  the  commandments  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  and  that  a  visible  believer,  or  disciple  of 
Christ  Jesus  (that  is,  one  who  manifesteth  repentance 
towards  God,  and  faith  in  Jesus  Christ)  is  the  only  per- 
son to  be  baptized  or  dipped  with  water,  and  also  that 
visible  person  that  is  to  walk  in  that  visible  order  of  his 
house,  and  to  wait  for  his  coming  the  second  time  in  the 
form  of  Lord  and  King,  with  his  glorious  kingdom,  ac- 
cording to  promise  ;  and  for  his  sending  down,  in  the 
time  of  his  absence,  the  Holy  Ghost,  or  Holy  Spirit  of 
promise,  and  all  this  according  to  the  last  will  and  testa- 
ment of  that  living  Lord,  whose  will  is  not  to  be  added 
to  or  taken  from.  3.  I  testify  or  witness,  that  every  such 
believer  in  Christ  Jesus,  that  waiteth  for  his  appearing, 
may,  in  point  of  liberty,  yea,  ought,  in  point  of  duty,  to 
improve  that  talent  his  Lord  hath  given  him,  and  in  the 
congregation  may  ask  for  information  to  himself ;  or  if 
he  can,  may  speak  by  way  of  prophecy  for  the  edifica- 
tion, exhortation,  and  comfort  of  the  whole ;  and  out  of 
the  congregation  at  all  times,  upon  all  occasions,  and  in 
all  places,  as  far  as  the  jurisdiction  of  his  Lord  extendeth, 
may,  yea,  ought  to  walk  as  a  child  of  light,  justifying 
wisdom  with  his  ways,  and  reproving  folly  with  the  un- 
fruitful works  thereof;  provided  all  this  is  shown  out  of 
a  good  conversation,  as  James  speaks,  with  meekness  of 
wisdom.  4.  I  testify,  that  no  such  believer,  or  servant 
of  Christ  Jesus,  hath  any  liberty,  much  less  authority, 
from  his  Lord,  to  smite  his  fellow-servant,  nor  with  out- 
ward force,  or  arm  of  flesh  to  constrain,  or  restrain  his 
conscience,  nor  his  outward  man  for  conscience  sake,  or 
worship  of  his  God,  where  injury  is  not  offered  to  any 
person,  name,  or  estate  of  others,  every  man  being  such 
as  shall  appear  before  the  judgment-seat  of  Christ,  and 
must  give  an  account  of  himself  to  God ;  and,  therefore, 
ought  to  be  fully  persuaded  in  his  own  mind  for  what  he 


n 


1651.]  HOLMES    WHIPPED    AT    BOSTON.  75 

undertakes,  because  he  that  doubteth  is  damned  if  he  eat, 
and  so  also  if  he  act,  because  he  doth  not  eat  or  act  in 
faith,  and  what  is  not  of  faith  is  sin."* 

When  he  had  given  this  plain  testimony,  there  was  a 
talk  that  Mr.  Cotton  would  dispute  him  upon  it ;  but  after 
consulting  together.  Cotton  declined,  and  Clarke  was  re- 
leased from  prison,  to  be  gone  out  of  the  colony  as  soon 
as  possible.  Crandal  also  was  released  with  him  ;  but  as 
Holmes  had  been  one  of  them,  they  resolved  to  make 
him  a  public  example.  He  was  therefore  confined  until 
September,  and  then  was  brought  out  to  be  punished  in 
Boston ;  and  two  magistrates,  Nowel  and  Flint,  were 
present  to  see  it  done  severely.  Mr.  Holmes,  after  giv- 
ing the  previous  exercises  of  his  own  mind,  says, 

'*  I  desired  to  speak  a  few  words  ;  but  Mr.  Nowel  an- 
swered, It  is  not  now  a  time  to  speak;  whereupon  I  took 
leave,  and  said.  Men,  brethren,  fathers  and  c^)untrymen, 
I  beseech  you  to  give  me  leave  to  speak  a  few  words,  and 
the  rather  because  here  are  many  spectators  to  see  me 
punished,  and  I  am  to  seal  with  my  blood,  if  God  give 
strength,  that  which  I  hold  and  practise  in  reference  to 
the  word  of  God,  and  the  testimony  of  Jesus.  That 
which  1  have  to  say  in  brief  is  this,  although  I  am  no  dis- 
putant, }  et  seeing  I  am  to  seal  with  my  blood  what  1 
hold,  1  am  ready  to  defend  by  the  word,  and  to  dispute 
that  point  with  any  that  shall  come  forth  to  withstand  it. 
Mr.  Nowel  answered,  now  was  no  time  to  dispute ;  then 
said  I,  I  desire  to  give  an  account  of  the  faith  and  order 
which  I  hold,  and  this  I  desired  three  times  ;  but  in 
comes  Mr.  Fhnt,  and  saith  to  the  executioner.  Fellow,  do 
thine  office,  for  this  fellow  would  but  make  a  long  speech 
to  delude  the  people;  so  I,  being  resolved  to  speak,  told 
the  people,  that  which  I  am  to  suffer  for  is  the  word  of 
God,  and  testimony  of  Jesus  Christ.  No,  saith  Mr. 
Nowel,  it  is  for  your  error,  and  going  about  to  seduce  the 
people ;  to  which  I  replied.  Not  for  error,  for  in  all  the 
time  of  my  imprisonment,  wherein  I  was  left  alone,  mjr 

brethren  being  gone,  which  of  all  your  ministers  came  td\ 

\ 

*   Clarke's  Narrative,  p.  9,  10.  * 


76  CHURCH    HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.       [CH.  IV. 

convince  me  of  error?  And  when,  upon  the  governor's 
words,  a  motion  was  made  for  a  public  dispute,  and  often 
renewed  upon  fair  terms,  and  desired  by  hundreds,  what 
was  the  reason  it  was  not  granted  ?  Mr.  Nowel  told  me, 
it  was  his  fault  who  went  away  and  would  not  dispute  ; 
but  this  the  writings  will  clear  at  large.  Still  Mr.  Flint 
calls  to  the  man  to  do  his  office ;  so  before,  and  in  the 
time  of  his  pulling  off  my  clothes,  I  continued  speaking, 
telling  them  that  I  had  so  learned  that  for  all  Boston  I 
would  not  give  my  body  into  their  hands  thus  to  be 
bruised  upon  another  account,  yet  upon  this  I  would  not 
give  the  hundredth  part  of  a  wampum  peague*  to  free  it 
out  of  their  hands ;  and  that  I  made  as  much  con- 
science of  unbuttoning  one  button,  as  I  did  of  paying  the 
thirty  pounds  in  reference  thereunto.  I  told  them  more- 
over, that  the  Lord  having  manifested  his  love  towards 
me,  in  giving  me  repentance  towards  God,  and  faith  in 
Christ,  and  so  to  be  baptized  in  water  by  a  messenger  of 
Jesus,  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Spirit, 
wherein  I  have  fellowship  with  him  in  his  death,  burial, 
and  resurrection,  I  am  now  come  to  be  baptized  in  af- 
flictions by  your  hands,  that  so  I  may  have  further  fel- 
lowship with  my  Lord,  and  am  not  ashamed  of  his  suf- 
ferings, for  by  his  stripes  am  I  healed.  And  as  the  man 
began  to  lay  the  strokes  upon  my  back,  I  said  to  the  peo- 
ple, though  my  flesh  should  fail,  and  my  spirit  should 
fail,  yet  God  would  not  fail ;  so  it  pleased  the  Lord  to 
come  in,  and  to  fill  my  heart  and  tongue  as  a  vessel  full, 
and  with  an  audible  voice  I  break  forth,  praying  the  Lord 
not  to  lay  this  sin  to  their  charge,  and  telling  the  people 
that  now  I  found  he  did  not  fail  me,  and  therefore  now  I 
should  trust  him  forever  who  failed  me  not ;  for  in  truth, 
as  the  strokes  fell  upon  me,  I  had  such  a  spiritual  mani- 
festation of  God's  presence,  as  I  never  had  before,  and 
the  outward  pain  was  so  removed  from  me,  that  I  could 
well  bear  it,  yea,  and  in  a  manner  felt  it  not,  although  ii 
was  grievous,  as  the  spectators  said,  the  man  striking 
with  all  his  strength,  spitting  in  his  hand  three  times, 

*  The  sixth  part  of  a  penny. 


1651.]  HOLMES    ESCAPES.  77 

with  a  three  corded  whip,  giving  me  therewith  thirty 
strokes.  When  he  had  loosed  me  from  the  post,  having 
joy  fulness  in  my  heart,  and  cheerfulness  in  my  counte- 
nance, as  the  spectators  observed,  I  told  the  magistrates, 
You  have  struck  me  as  with  roses  ;  and  said,  moreover, 
although  the  Lord  hath  made  it  easy  to  me,  yet  I  pray 
God  it  may  not  be  laid  to  your  charge. 

*'  After  this  many  came  to  me,  rejoicing  to  see  the 
power  of  the  Lord  manifested  in  weak  flesh ;  but  sinful 
flesh  takes  occasion  hereby  to  bring  others  into  trouble, 
informs  the  magistrates  hereof,  and  so  two  more  are  ap^ 
prehended  as  for  contempt  of  authority ;  their  names  are 
John  Hazel  and  John  Spur,  who  came  indeed  and  did 
shake  me  by  the  hand,  but  did  use  no  words  of  contempt 
or  reproach  unto  any.  No  man  can  prove  that  the  first 
spake  any  thing ;  and  for  the  second,  he  only  said.  Bless- 
ed be  the  Lord ;  yet  these  two,  for  taking  me  by  the 
hand,  and  thus  saying,  after  I  had  received  my  punish- 
ment, were  sentenced  to  pay  forty  shillings,  or  to  be 
whipt.  Both  were  resolved  against  paying  their  fine  : 
nevertheless,  after  one  or  two  days'  imprisonment,  one 
paid  John  Spur's  fine,  and  he  was  released  ;  and  after  six 
or  seven  days'  imprisonment  of  brother  Hazel,  even  the 
day  when  he  should  have  suffered,  another  paid  his, 
and  so  he  escaped,  and  the  next  day  went  to  visit  a  friend 
about  six  miles  from  Boston,  where  he  fell  sick  the  same 
day,  and  within  ten  days  he  ended  this  life.  When  I 
was  come  to  the  prison,  it  pleased  God  to  stir  up  the 
heart  of  an  old  acquaintance  of  mine,  who  with  much 
tenderness,  like  the  good  Samaritan,  poured  oil  into  my 
wounds,  and  plastered  my  sores ;  but  there  was  present 
information  given  of  what  was  done,  and  inquiry  made 
who  was  the  surgeon,  and  it  was  commonly  reported  he 
should  be  sent  for ;  but  what  was  done,  I  yet  know  not. 
Now  thus  it  hath  pleased  the  Father  of  mercies  to  dispose 
of  the  matter,  that  my  bonds  and  imprisonment  have 
been  no  hinderance  to  the  gospel ;  for  before  my  return, 
some  submitted  to  the  Lord,  and  were  baptized,  and  di- 
vers were  put  upon  the  way  of  inquiry ;  and  now  being 
advised  to  make  my  escape  by  night,  because  it  was  re- 
7* 


78  CHURCH    HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.       [CH.  IV. 

ported  that  there  were  warrants  forth  for  me,  I  departed ; 
and  the  next  day  after,  while  I  was  on  my  journey,  the 
constable  came  to  search  at  the  house  where  I  lodged ; 
so  I  escaped  their  hands,  and  by  the  good  hand  of  my 
heavenly  Father  brought  home  again  to  my  near  rela- 
tions, my  wife  and  eight  children,  the  brethren  of  our 
town  and  Providence  having  taken  pains  to  meet  me  four 
miles  in  the  woods,  where  we  rejoiced  together  in  the 
Lord.  Thus  have  I  given  you,  as  briefly  as  I  can,  a  true 
relation  of  things  ;  wherefore,  my  brethren,  rejoice  with  me 
in  the  Lord,  and  give  all  glory  to  him,  for  he  is  worthy, 
to  whom  be  praise  forevermore,  to  whom  I  commit  you, 
and  pot  up  my  earnest  prayers  for  you,  that  by  my  late 
experience,  who  trusted  in  God,  and  have  not  been  de- 
ceived, you  may  trust  in  him  perfectly  :  wherefore,  my 
dearly  beloved  brethren,  trust  in  the  Lord,  and  you  shall 
not  be  ashamed  nor  confounded.  So  I  rest,  yours  in  the 
bond  of  charity,  Obadiah  Holmes.*  "^ 

"  Unto  the  well  beloved  John  Spilsbury,  William  Kif-1 
fen,  and  the  rest  that  in  London  stand  fast  in  the  faith." 

This  was  carried  to  England,  and  published  there  in 
1652 ;  upon  which  Sir  Richard  Saltonstall,  who  was  an 
early  magistrate  in  Massachusetts^  when  Boston  was  first 
planted,  but  was  now  in  London,  wrote  to  the  ministers 
of  Boston,  and  said  : 

*'  Reverend  and  dear  friends,  whom  I  unfeignedly 
love  and  respect, 
"  It  doth  not  a  little  grieve  my  spirit  to  hear  what  sad 
things  are  reported  daily  of  your  tyranny  and  persecu' 
tion  in  New  England ;  that  you  fine,  whip,  and  imprison 
men  for  their  consciences.     First,  you  compel  such  to 
come  into  your  assemblies  as  you  know  will  not  join  with 
you  in  worship,  and  when  they  show  their  dislike  there- 
of, or  witness  against  it,  then  you  stir  up  your  magis- 
trates to  punish  them  for  such  (as  you  conceive)   their 
public  aflfronts.     Truly,  friends,  this  practice  of  compel- 
ling any  in  matters  of  worship  to  do  that  whereof  they  | 
«ire  not  fully  persuaded,  is  to  make  them  sin,  for  so  the 
*  Clarke,  p.  17—23.  ""^ 


1652.]        SIR    RICHARD    SALTONSTALl's    LETTER.  79 

apostle  tells  us,  Rom.  xiv.  23 ;  and  many  are  made  hy- 
pocrites thereby,  conforming  in  their  outward  man  for 
fear  of  punishment.  We  pray  for  you,  and  wish  your 
prosperity  every  way ;  hoped  the  Lord  would  have 
given  you  so  much  light  and  love  there,  that  you  might 
have  been  eyes  to  God's  people  here,  and  not  to  practise 
those  courses  in  a  wilderness,  which  you  went  so  far  to 
prevent.  These  rigid  ways  have  laid  you  very  low  in 
the  hearts  of  the  saints.  I  do  assure  you  I  have  heard 
them  pray  in  public  assemblies,  that  the  Lord  would  give 
you  meek  and  humble  spirits,  not  to  strive  so  much  for 
uniformity  as  to  keep  the  unity  of  the  Spirit  in  the  bond 
of  peace.  When  I  was  in  Holland,  about  the  beginning 
of  our  wars,  I  remember  some  Christians  there,  that  then 
had  serious  thoughts  of  planting  in  New  England,  de- 
sired me  to  write  to  the  governor  thereof  to  know  if  those 
ihat  differ  from  you  in  opinion,  yet  holding  the  same 
foundation  in  religion,  as  Anabaptists,  Seekers,  Antino- 
mians,  and  the  like,  might  be  permitted  to  live  among 
you  ;  to  which  I  received  this  short  answer  from  your 
then  governor,  Mr.  Dudley:  God  forbid,  said  he,  our  love 
for  the  truth  should  be  grown  so  cold  that  we  should  tole- 
rate errors." 

To  this  Mr.  Cotton  answered,  and  said : 

**  Honoured  and  dear  Sir, 
*'  My  brother  Wilson  and  self  do  both  of  us  acknow- 
ledge your  love,  as  otherwise  formerly,  so  now  in  the  late 
lines  we  received  from  you,  that  you  grieve  in  spirit  to 
hear  daily  complaints  against  us  ;  it  springeth  from  your 
compassion  for  our  afflictions  therein,  wherein  we  see  just 
cause  to  desire  you  may  never  suffer  like  injury  in  your- 
self, but  may  find  olhers  to  compassionate  and  condole 
with  you.  For  w^hen  the  complaints  you  hear  of  ar€ 
against  our  tyranny  and  persecution  in  fining,  whipping, 
and  imprisoning  men  for  their  consciences,  be  pleased  to 
understand  we  look  at  such  complaints  as  altogether  inju- 
rious in  respect  of  ourselves,  who  had  no  hand  or  tongue 
at  all  to  promote  either  the  coming  of  the  persons  you  aim 
at  into  our  assemblies,  or  their  punishment  for  their  car- 


80  CHURCH    HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.       [cH.  IV. 

riage  there.  Righteous  judgment  will  not  take  up  reports, 
much  less  reproaches  against  the  innocent.  The  cry  of 
the  sins  of  Sodom  was  great  and  loud,  and  reached  unto 
heaven ;  yet  the  righteous  God  (giving  us  an  example 
what  to  do  in  the  like  case)  he  would  first  go  down  to  see 
whether  their  crimes  were  altogether  according  to  the  cry, 
before  he  would  proceed  to  judgment.  Gen.  xviii.  20,  21. 
And  when  he  did  find  the  truth  of  the  cry,  he  did  not 
wrap  up  all  alike  promiscuously  in  the  judgment,  but 
spared  such  as  he  found  innocent.  We  are  amongst 
those  (if  you  knew  us  better)  you  would  account  of  (as 
the  matron  of  Abel  spake  of  herself)  peaceable  in  Israel. 
2  Sam.  XX.  19.  Yet  neither  are  we  so  vast  in  our  indul- 
gence or  toleration  as  to  think  the  men  you  speak  of  suf- 
fered an  unjust  censure.  For  one  of  them — Obadiah 
Holmes,  being  an  excommunicate  person  himself,  out  of 
a  church  in  Plymouth  patent,  came  into  this  jurisdiction, 
and  took  upon  him  to  baptize,  which  I  think  himself  will 
not  say  he  was  compelled  here  to  perform.  And  he  was 
not  ignorant  that  the  rebaptizing  of  an  elder  person,  and 
that  by  a  private  person  out  of  office  and  under  excom- 
munication, are  all  of  them  manifest  contestations  against 
the  order  and  government  of  our  churches,  established,  we 
know,  by  God's  law,  and  he  knoweth  by  the  laws  of  the 
country.  And  we  conceive  we  may  safely  appeal  to  the 
ingenuity  of  your  own  judgment,  whether  it  would  be 
tolerated  in  any  civil  state,  for  a  stranger  to  come  and 
practise  contrary  to  the  known  principles  of  the  church 
estate  ?  As  for  his  whipping,  it  was  more  voluntarily 
chosen  by  him  than  inflicted  on  him.  His  censure  by  the 
court  was  to  have  paid,  as  I  know,  thirty  pounds,  or  else 
to  be  whipt ;  his  fine  was  offered  to  be  paid  by  friends 
for  him  freely  ;  but  he  chose  rather  to  be  whipt ;  in  which 
case,  if  his  suflferings  of  stripes  was  any  worship  of  God 
at  all,  surely  it  could  be  accounted  no  better  than  will- 
worship.  The  other,  Mr.  Clarke,  was  wiser  in  that  point, 
and  his  offence  was  less,  so  was  his  fine  less,  and  him- 
self, as  I  hear,  was  contented  to  have  it  paid  for  him, 
whereupon  he  was  released.  The  imprisonment  of  either 
of  them  was  no  detriment.     I  believe  they  fared  neither 


1652.]  MR.  cotton's  answer.  &1 

of  them  better  at  home  ;  and  I  am  sure  Hohues  had  not 
been  so  well  clad  of  many  years  before. 

'*  But  be  pleased  to  consider  this  point  a  little  further. 
You  think  to  compel  men  in  niatter  of  worship  is  to  make 
them  sin,  according  to  Romans  xiv.  23.  If  the  worship 
be  lawful  in  itself,  the  magistrate  compelling  to  come  to 
it,  compelleth  him  not  to  sin,  but  the  sin  is  in  his  will 
that  needs  to  be  compelled  to  a  Christian  duty.  Josiah 
compelled  all  Israel,  or,  which  is  all  one,  made  to  serve 
the  Lord  their  God.  2  Chron.  xxxiv.  33.  Yet  his  act 
herein  was  not  blamed,  but  recorded  among  his  virtuous 
actions.  For  a  governor  to  suffer  any  within  his  gates 
to  profane  the  Sabbath,  is  a  sin  against  the  fourth  com- 
mandment, both  in  the  private  householder  and  m  the 
magistrate  ;  and  if  he  requires  them  to  present  themselves 
before  the  Lord,  the  magistrate  sinneth  not,  nor  doth  the 
subject  sin  so  great  a  sin  as  if  he  did  refrain  to  come. — 
But  you  say  it  doth  but  make  men  hypocrites,  to  compel 
men  to  conform  the  outward  man  for  fear  of  punishment. 
If  it  did  so,  yet  better-be  hypocrites  than  profane  persons. 
Hypocrites  give  God  part  of  his  due,  the  outward  man, 
but  the  profane  person  giveth  God  neither  outward  nor 
inward  man. — Nevertheless,  I  tell  you  the  truth,  we  have 
tolerated  in  our  church  some  Anabaptists,  some  Antino- 
mians,  and  some  Seekers,  and  do  so  still  at  this  day."* 

These  letters  give  a  plain  idea  of  the  sentiments  of 
these  two  great  men  in  that  day,  and  that  of  Mr.  Cotton 
shows  the  absurdities  of  his  scheme  of  compulsion  about 
religion.  The  paying  of  Mr.  Clarke's  fine,  he  says,  was 
done  "contrary  to  my  judgment."!  Yet  Mr.  Cotton  re- 
ports that  he  consented  to  it,  and  reflects  upon  Holmes 
for  not  doing  the  same.  But  I  have  a  writing  of  Go- 
vernor Jenks,  wherein  he  says,  ''Although  the  paying  of  a 
fine  seems  to  be  a  small  thing  in  comparison  of  a  man's 
parting  with  his  religion  :  yet  the  paying  of  a  fine  is  the 
acknowledging  of  a  transgression  ;  and  for  a  man  to  ac- 
knowledge that  he  has  transgressed,  when  his  conscience 
tells  him  he  has  not,  is  but  little  if  any  thing  short  of 

*  Hutchinson's  Collections,  p.  401.  407.         f  Narrative,  p.  11. 


82  CHURCH    HISTORY   OF    NEW   ENGLAND.       fcH.  IV. 

parting  with  his  religion;  and  it  is  likely  this  might  be 
the  consideration  of  those  sufferers."  And  though  Cot- 
ton says,  "  Hypocrites  give  God  part  of  his  due,"  yet  in 
the  first  Christian  church  God  struck  two  hypocrites  dead 
for  lying  to  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  said  upon  it,  Of  the 
rest  durst  no  man  join  himself  to  them,  but  the  people 
magnified  them.  And  believers  were  the  more  added  to 
the  Lord,  multitudes  both  of  men  and  women.  Acts  v.  5 
— 14.  And  how  loud  is  this  warning  to  all  the  world 
against  lying  and  hypocrisy,  especially  in  the  affairs  of 
religion !  And  though  Mr.  Cotton  was  exceeding  confi- 
dent that  their  churches  were  established  by  the  laws  of 
God,  yet  the  character  which  he  gives  of  his  own  church 
is  more  like  confusion  of  all  sentiments,  than  the  union 
described  in  the  first  Christian  churches.  --. 

Mr.  Cotton  died  on  December  23,  1652,  soon  after  this  \ 
letter  was  written.  He  was  greatly  esteemed,  both  in  j 
Europe  and  America,  as  a  clear  preacher  of  the  gospel. 
And  though  he  was  so  dark  about  Christian  liberty,  yet 
Mr.  Williams  says,  "  Since  it  pleased  God  to  lay  a  com-_j 
mand  on  my  conscience  to  come  in  as  his  poor  witness  in 
this  great  cause,  I  rejoice  that  it  hath  pleased  him  to  ap- 
point so  able,  and  excellent,  and  conscionable  an  instm- 
ment,  to  bolt  out  the  truth  to  the  brain.  As  it  is  my  con- 
stant grief  to  differ  from  any  fearing  God,  so  much  more 
from  Mr.  Cotton,  whom  I  highly  esteem  and  dearly  re- 
spect, for  so  great  a  portion  of  mercy  given  unto  him,  and 
so  many  truths  of  Christ  maintained  by  him."*  So  that 
his  conscience  obliged  him  to  write  against  the  errors  of  a 
man  whom  he  highly  esteemed.  And  in  the  same  book 
he  sent  a  letter  to  Governor  Endicot,  in  which  he  said, 
*'  By  your  principles  and  conscience,  such  as  you  count 
heretics,  blasphemers,  and  seducers  must  be  put  to  death. 
You  cannot  be  faithful  to  your  principles  and  conscience 
without  it."t  Endicot  did  plead  conscience  in  putting 
four  persons  to  death  about  eight  years  after;  and  this  hath 
exposed  New  England  to  reproach  among  the  nations 
ever  since,  more  than  any  other  action  they  ever  did. 

*  Preface  to  Williams  against  Cotton,  1652,  p.  6. 
j-  Tenet  more  bloody,  p.  312. 


1653.]  OPINIONS    CONCERNING    BAPTISM.  83 

The  sufferings  and  writings  of  the  Baptists  at  this 
time  were  a  cause  of  light  to  many.  Mr.  Henry  Dunstar, 
president  of  Cambridge  college,  had  such  a  turn  in  his 
mind,  that  he  boldly  preached  in  their  pulpit,  that  they 
had  no  right  to  baptize  any  infant  whatever.  And  when 
Mr.  Mitchel,  minister  in  the  town,  went  to  talk  with  him 
upon  the  subject,  great  scruples  were  raised  in  his  own 
mind  about  infant  baptism.  But  he  laboured  hard  to  re- 
move them,  and  at  length  concluded  that  they  were  from 
the  devil,  and  said,  '*  I  resolved  that  I  would  have  an  argu- 
ment able  to  remove  a  mountain,  before  I  would  recede 
from,  or  appear  against  a  truth  or  practice  received  among 
the  faithful."*  This  was  in  December,  1653;  and  Dr. 
Cotton  Mather  published  it  to  the  world  in  1697,  and  Mr. 
John  Cleveland  of  Ipswich  inserted  it  in  a  piece  he 
published  for  infant  baptism  in  1784.  Thus  it  has  been 
a  tradition  in  New  England,  from  the  fathers  of  Massa- 
chusetts to  our  days,  that  they  who  forsake  infant  baptism 
are  deceived  by  the  devil,  though  that  practice  is  not 
named  in  the  Bible !  And  Mr.  Dunstar  was  turned  out 
from  being  president,  for  rejecting  it ;  and  such  a  temper 
was  discovered  against  him,  that  he  removed  out  of  their 
colony,  and  spent  the  remainder  of  his  days  at  Scituate  in 
Plymouth  colony,  where  he  died  in  1659.  Captain 
Johnson  finished  writing  his  history  in  1652,  just  before 
this  event,  and  then  he  said,  **  Mr.  Henry  Dunstar  is  now 
president  of  the  college,  fitted  from  the  Lord  for  the  work, 
and  by  those  that  have  skill  that  way,  reported  to  be  an 
able  proficient,  both  in  the  Hebrew,  Greek,  and  Latin 
languages,  an  orthodox  preacher  of  the  truths  of  Christ, 
and  very  powerful,  through  his  blessing,  to  move  the 
affections,  "t 

At  the  same  time  he  said,  "  Familists,  Seekers,  Antino- 
mians,  and  Anabaptists  are  so  ill  armed,  that  they  think 
it  best  sleeping  in  a  whole  skin  ;  fearing  that  if  the  day 
of  battle  once  goes  on,  they  shall  fall  among  antichrist's 
armies  ;  and  therefore  cry  out  like  cowards,  If  you  will 

♦  • 

*  Mitchers  Life,  p.  67—70. 

f  Johnson^p.  168.     His  history  was  printed  in  1654. 


84  CHURCH     HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.      [CH.  IV. 

let  me  alone,  I  will  let  you  alone  ;  but  assuredly  the  Lord 
Christ  hath  said,  He  that  is  not  with  us  is  against  us : 
there  is  no  room  in  his  army  for  toleratorists."*  But  the 
Baptists  were  so  far  from  fear  or  discouragement,  that 
they  boldly  persevered  in  their  way,  till  they  obtained  de- 
liverance. The  towns  of  Newport  and  Portsmouth 
chose  Mr.  Clarke,  and  Providence  and  Warwick  chose 
Mr.  Williams  their  agents  to  go  to  England,  and  plead 
their  cause  there.  And  that  they  might  have  a  fair  trial, 
the  commissioners  of  the  United  Colonies,  at  their  meet- 
ing in  September,  1651,  received  a  writing  from  War- 
wick, saying,  '*  May  it  please  this  honoured  committee  to 
take  knowledge,  that  we,  the  inhabitants  of  Shawomet, 
alias  Warwick,  having  undergone  divers  oppressions  and 
wrongs,  amounting  to  great  damage,  since  we  first  pos- 
sessed this  place ;  being  forced  thereby  to  seek  to  the 
honourable  state  of  Old  England  for  relief,  which  did 
inevitably  draw  great  charge  upon  us,  to  the  further  im- 
pairing of  our  estates ;  and  finding  favour  for  redress, 
were  willing  to  waive  for  that  time  (in  regard  to  the  great 
troubles  and  employment  that  then  lay  on  that  state)  all 
other  lesser  wrongs  we  then  underwent,  so  that  we  might 
be  replaced  in  and  upon  this  our  purchased  possession, 
and  enjoy  it  peaceably  for  time  to  come,  without  disturb- 
ance or  molestation  by  those  from  whom  we  had  formerly 
suffered.  But  since  our  gracious  grant  from  the  Hon. 
Parliament,  in  replacing  of  us  in  this  place,  we  have  been 
and  are  daily  pressed  with  intolerable  grievances,  to  the 
eating  up  of  our  labours,  and  wasting  of  our  estates,  mak- 
ing our  lives,  together  with  our  wives  and  children,  bitter 
and  uncomfortable ;  insomuch  that,  groaning  under  our 
burden,  we  are  again  constrained  to  make  our  address  to 
the  Parliament."  And  so  gave  the  colonies  notice  to  be 
prepared  to  answer  their  complaints  there. 

This  caused  the  commissioners  of  Massachusetts,  Brad 
street  and  Hathorne,  to  observe  that  Plymouth  gave  up 
those  lands  to  th«m  in  1643,  to  which  others  assented 
and  told  of  the  great  pains  and  expense  they  had  been  a> 

*  Johnson,  p.  "231. 


1653.]  COMMISSIONERS    IN    ENGLAND.  85 

about  Gorton  and  his  company,  and  support  to  the  In- 
dians, who  said  those  men  had  wronged  them  about  their 
lands  ;  and  desired  to  know  if  the  other  colonies  would 
help  them  to  do  justice  for  the  Indians.  But  the  com- 
missioners from  Plymouth,  Brown  and  Hatherly,  de- 
clared that  what  was  done  in  1643,  by  men  from  their 
colony,  was  going  beyond  their  authority,  who  had  no 
right  over  Shawomet  lands,  and  that  Massachusetts  had 
no  right  to  do  all  that  they  had  in  the  heart  of  Providence 
colony.  And  the  commissioners  from  Connecticut  and 
New  Haven  owned  that  it  might  be  so.  This  is  all  plain 
in  their  records.  And  Williams  and  Clarke  sailed  from 
Boston  with  these  complaints  in  November,  though  Wil- 
liams had  hard  work  to  get  a  passage  from  thence,  not- 
ivithstanding  the  services  he  had  done  for  them  formerly. 

When  they  arrived  at  London,  each  of  them  published 
the  books  which  I  have  before  named :  and  in  October 
they  obtained  a  vacation  of  Coddington's  commission, 
and  an  order  for  their  colony  to  unite  again,  under  their 
former  charter.  This  was  brought  over  by  William  Dyer, 
who  left  it  on  Rhode  Island,  and  wrote  to  Providence  and 
Warwick  to  come  there  and  act  upon  it.  But  as  these 
two  towns  had  acted  upon  their  charter  all  the  while  that 
the  island  was  in  confusion,  they  still  remained  two  par- 
ties ;  and  there  were  many  against  them  in  England. 
Edward  Winslow,  who  had  been  governor  of  Plymouth, 
and  Edward  Hopkins,  who  had  been  governor  of  Connecti- 
cut, were  then  in  England. 

On  April  1,  1653,  Mr.  Williams  wrote  to  his  constitu- 
ents, and  said,  '*  The  determination  of  our  controversy  is 
hindered  by  two  main  obstructions.  The  first  is  the 
mighty  war  with  the  Dutch.  Our  second  obstruction  is 
the  opposition  of  our  adversaries.  Sir  Arthur  Haselrig  and 
Colonel  Fenwick,  who  married  his  daughter,  Mr.  Wins- 
low,  and  Mr.  Hopkins,  both  in  great  place  ;  and  all  the 
friends  they  can  make  in  the  Parliament  and  council,  and 
all  the  priests,  both  Presbyterian  and  Independent ;  so 
that  we  stand  as  two  armies  ready  to  engage,  observing 
the  motions  and  postures  each  of  other,  and  yet  shy  each 
of  other."  But  before  that  month  was  out,  Cromwell 
8 


86  CHURCH     HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.      [CH.  IV. 

dissolved  the  Parliament,  vt^hich  altered  things  greatly; 
and  the  Presbyterians  have  never  had  so  great  power  in 
England  since,  as  they  had  before. 

Mr.  Williams  continued  there  another  year,  and  then 
left  Mr.  Clarke,  their  agent,  in  Englana,  while  he  came 
over  to  settle  affairs  here.  And  he  brought  a  letter  from 
Sir  Henry  Vane,  which  contained  sharp  reproofs  for  their 
disorders  in  his  colony,  and  wise  advice  about  removing 
of  them.  But  Williams  found  it  very  hard  work  to  get 
the  two  parties  together,  and  yet  he  did  it ;  and  they  met 
on  September  12,  1654,  and  elected  him  for  their  presi- 
dent, and  then  voted  to  have  him  send  letters  of  thanks  to 
their  benefactors  in  England.  On  May  22,  1655,  he 
was  again  elected  president  for  a  year.  But  some  men 
had  been  so  troublesome  among  them,  that  a  letter  was 
procured  from  the  protector  in  England,  which  said, 

"  Gentlemen, 

"  Your  agent  here  hath  represented  unto  us  some  par- 
ticulars concerning  your  government,  which  you  judge 
necessary  to  be  settled  by  us  here ;  but  by  reason  of  other 
great  and  weighty  affairs  of  this  commonwealth,  we  have 
been  necessitated  to  defer  the  consideration  of  them  to  a 
further  opportunity ;  in  the  mean  time  we  are  willing  to 
let  you  know,  that  you  were  to  proceed  in  your  govern- 
ment according  to  the  tenor  of  your  charter,  formerly 
granted  on  that  behalf,  taking  care  of  the  peace  and  safety 
of  those  plantations,  that  neither  through  intestine  com- 
motions or  foreign  invasions,  there  do  arise  any  detri- 
ment or  dishonour  to  this  commonwealth  or  yourselves, 
as  far  as  you  by  your  care  and  diligence  can  prevent. 
And  as  for  the  things  that  are  before  us,  they  shall,  as 
soon  as  other  occasions  will  permit,  receive  a  just  and 
sufficient  determination.  And  so  we  bid  you  farewell, 
and  rest,  your  loving  friend,  Oliver  P. 

''March  29,  1655. 
To  our  trusty  and  well-beloved,  the  president,  assistants, 

and  inhabitants  of  Rhode  Island,  together  with  the  rest 

of  the  Providence  Plantations  in  the  Narraganset  Bay 

in  New  England." 


1656.]  AFFAIRS    AT    WARWICK.  87 

Upon  receiving  this,  their  assembly  met,  June  28,  and 
enacted,  *'  That  if  any  person  or  persons  be  found  by 
examination  and  judgment  of  a  general  court  of  commis- 
sioners, to  be  a  ringleader  or  ringleaders  of  factions  or 
divisions  among  us,  he  or  they  shall  be  sent  over  at  his 
or  their  own  charges,  as  prisoners,  to  receive  his  or  their 
trial  or  sentence,  at  the  pleasure  of  his  highness  and  the 
lords  of  his  council."  And  then  all  open  opposition 
ceased  in  their  government.  And  President  Williams 
wrote  in  November  to  Massachusetts  about  their  opposi- 
tion to  it ;  but  receiving  no  satisfaction,  he  wrote  again 
in  May,  1656,  and  said, 

**  Honoured  sirs,  our  first  request  is  for  your  favoura- 
ble consideration  of  the  long  and  lamentable  condition  of 
the  town  of  Warwick,  which  hath  been  thus.  They  are 
so  dangerously  and  so  vexatiously  intermingled  with  the 
barbarians,  that  I  have  long  admired  the  wonderful  power 
of  God  in  restraining  and  preventing  very  great  fires  of 
mutual  slaughters  breaking  forth  between  them.  Your 
wisdoms  know  the  inhumane  insultations  of  these  wild 
creatures,  and  you  may  be  pleased  also  to  imagine,  that 
they  have  not  been  sparing  of  your  name  as  the  patron 
of  all  their  wickedness  against  our  Englishmen,  women, 
and  cliiklren,  and  cattle,  to  the  yearly  damage  of  sixty, 
eighty,  and  an  hundred  pounds.  The  remedy,  under 
God,  is  only  your  pleasure  that  Pumham  shall  come  to 
an  agreement  with  the  town  or  colony,  and  that  some 
convenient  way  and  time  be  set  for  their  removal.  And 
that  your  wisdoms  may  see  just  grounds  for  such  your 
willingness,  be  pleased  to  be  informed  of  a  reality  of  a 
s*olemn  covenant  between  this  town  of  Warwick  and 
Pumham,  unto  which,  notwithstanding  he  pleads  his  be- 
ing drawn  to  it  by  the  awe  of  his  superior  sachems,  yet 
I  humbly  offer,  that  what  was  done  was  according  to  the 
law  and  tenor  of  the  natives  (I  take  it)  in  all  New  Eng- 
land and  America,  viz.  that  the  inferior  sachems  and  sub- 
jects shall  plant  and  remove  at  the  pleasure  of  the  high- 
est and  supreme  sachems  ;  and  I  humbly  conceive  that  it 
pleaseth  the  Most  High  and  only  Wise  to  make  use  of 
such  a  bond  of  authority  over  them,  without  which  they 


88  CHURCH    HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.       [CH.  IV. 

could  not  long  subsist  in  human  societies,  in  this  wild 
condition  wherein  they  are." 

And  he  went  on  to  remind  them  of  the  order  of  Par- 
liament in  1646,  that  they  should  remove  all  obstructions 
which  they  had  put  in  the  way  of  those  who  had  pur- 
chased the  lands  in  Warwick,  so  that  they  might  freely 
enjoy  their  rights.  He  also  desired  them  no  longer  to 
assume  any  power  over  a  few  persons  in  Pawtuxet,  and 
to  treat  their  colony  as  a  distinct  government.*  And  his 
request  was  granted. 

The  Massachusetts  were  awfully  requited  for  their 
iniquity  in  these  affairs.  For  when  they  received  Pum- 
ham  as  their  subject,  they  furnished  him  with  arms  and 
ammunition,  for  hunting ;  and  in  Philip's  war  he  joined 
against  the  English,  and  was  very  active  in  the  war,  and 
so  was  his  son  and  grandson ;  and  Pumham  was  killed 
within  twenty  miles  of  Boston,  but  a  few  days  before 
Philip.t     How  righteous  are  God's  judgments ! 

The  Massachusetts  were  fond  of  comparing  themselves 
to  the  Israelites  who  conquered  Canaan ;  and  I  have  re- 
cited a  passage  in  which  Captain  Johnson  has  named 
seven  sectaries  which  they  were  to  subdue,  as  Israel  did 
the  seven  nations  in  the  promised  land ;  but  as  these  are 
far  from  being  parallel  cases,  so  was  the  success  of  the 
two  people.  For  the  seed  of  Jacob  were  completely 
victorious,  but  Massachusetts  never  subdued  one  of 
the  sects  which  he  named.  And  a  new  one  now  arose, 
who  caused  more  disgrace  to  them  than  any  others  had 
done. 

Out  of  the  confusions  in  England,  George  Fox  came 
forth  as  a  zealous  preacher  of  a  new  doctrine ;  and  in 
1650,  he  and  his  followers  received  the  name  of  Qua- 
kers, from  the  trembling  motions  of  their  bodies,  upon 
various  occasions.  They  increased  fast  in  England,  and 
their  sufferings  animated  them  to  travel  far  and  near;  and 
in  the  summer  of  1656,  some  of  them  arrived  at  Boston, 
where  they  were  confined.     And  when  the  commission- 

*  Hutchinson's  Collections,  p.  279—282. 
•f  Habbard  on  said  War,  p.  131. 175,  176. 


1657.]        GOVERNOR  BRADFORD  DIES.  89 

ers  of  the  United  Colonies  met  at  Plymouth  in  Septem- 
ber, they  received  a  letter  from  the  court  at  Boston, 
which  said,  "  Having  heard  some  time  since,  that  our 
neighbouring  colony  of  Plymouth,  our  beloved  brethren, 
in  great  part  seem  to  be  wanting  to  themselves  in  a  due 
acknowledgment  and  encouragement  of  the  ministry  of 
the  gospel,  so  as  many  pious  ministers  have  (how  justly  we 
know  not)*  deserted  their  stations,  callings,  and  relations; 
our  desire  is  that  some  such  course  may  be  taken,  as  that 
a  pious  orthodox  ministry  may  be  restated  among  them, 
that  so  the  flood  of  errors  and  principles  of  anarchy  may 
be  prevented.  Here  hath  arrived  amongst  us  several 
persons  professing  themselves  Quakers,  fit  instruments 
to  propagate  the  kingdom  of  Satan ;  for  the  securing  of 
our  neighbours  from  such  pests,  we  have  imprisoned 
them  all  till  they  be  despatched  away  to  the  place  from 
whence  they  came."  And  the  commissioners  gave  ad- 
vice accordingly.! 

But  such  measures  were  not  taken  as  long  as  Governor 
Bradford  lived,  who  died  on  May  9,  1657,  in  his  69th 
year.  And  in  June  following,  John  Brown  and  James 
Cudworth,  two  of  their  assistants,  were  left  out  of  office, 
and  others  were  chosen,  who  were  for  more  severe  mea- 
sures, though  not  equal  to  Massachusetts ;  who  also 
wrote  repeatedly  to  the  rulers  of  Rhode  Island  colony,  to 
try  to  draw  them  into  like  severity,  but  without  any  suc- 
cess. 

The  Quakers  held  that  they  had  a  light  and  spirit 
within  them,  which  was  their  highest  rule  of  action,  and 
that  the  Scriptures  were  only  a  secondary  rule ;  and  that 
the  external  use  of  baptism  and  the  Lord's  supper  was 
now  out  of  date,  and  that  they  had  those  ordinances  in- 
wardly and  spiritually.  They  also  held  themselves  to  be 
inspired  by  the  Spirit  of  God  to  teach  a  more  clear  and 

*  One  of  these  was  Mr.  Reyner,  who  went  from  Plymouth  in 
1654,  and  robbed  them  of  all  their  church  records,  so  that  all  the  re- 
cords they  since  have  of  former  actings  in  their  church,  were  col- 
lected from  memory  and  private  writings ;  as  their  late  pastor  told  me. 
And  how  unjust  was  this ! 

\  Hutchinson's  Collections,  p.  283 — 286. 
8* 


90  CHURCH    HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.       [cH.'lV. 

-A 

perfect  way  than  men  had  known  since  the  days  of  the 
apostles,  if  they  had  not  greater  light  than  the  apostles 
had.  This  spirit  taught  them  to  give  no  titles  to  rulers 
nor  other  men,  and  to  use  thee  and  thou  to  all.  Hum- 
phrey Norton  was  scourged  at  Plymouth,  in  June,  1658,  i 
and  then  sent  out  of  that  colony;  upon  which  he  wrote/ 
to  Governor  Prince,  and  said, 

"  Thomas  Prince,  thou  who  hast  hent  thy  heart  to 
work  wickedness,  and  with  thy  tongue  hast  thou  set  forth 
deceit;  thou  imaginest  mischief  upon  thy  bed,  and 
hatchest  thy  hatred  in  thy  secret  chamber ;  the  strength 
of  darkness  is  over  thee,  and  a  malicious  mouth  hast  thou 
opened  against  God  and  his  anointed,  and  with  thy 
tongue  and  lips  hast  thou  uttered  perverse  things ;  thou 
hast  slandered  the  innocent  by  railing,  lying,  and  false  ac- 
cusations :  and  with  thy  barbarous  heart  hast  thou  caused 
their  blood  to  be  shed.  Thou  hast  through  all  these 
things  broke  and  transgressed  the  laws  and  ways  of  God, 
and  equity  is  not  before  thy  eyes.  The  curse  causeless 
cannot  come  upon  thee,  nor  the  vengeance  of  God  unjustly 
cannot  fetch  thee  up ;  thou  makest  thyself  merry  with  thy 
secret  malice.  The  day  of  thy  wailing  will  be  like  unto 
that  of  a  woman  that  murders  the  fruit  of  her  womb  ;  the 
anguish  and  pain  that  will  enter  upon  thy  reins  will  be 
like  gnawing  worms  lodging  betwixt  thy  heart  and  liver : 
when  these  things  come  upon  thee,  and  thy  back  bowed 
down  with  pain,  in  that  day  and  hour  thou  shalt  know  to 
thy  grief,  that  prophets  of  the  Lord  God  we  are,  and  the 
God  of  vengeance  is  our  God.       Humphrey  Norton." 

This  I  copied  from  Plymouth  records,  where  it  was  in- 
serted, that  posterity  might  know  how  their  fathers  were 
treated.  And  we  may  here  also  learn  how  secular  force 
serves  to  inflame  mistaken  zeal ;  for  the  various  punish- 
ments that  were  inflicted  upon  those  people  caused  their 
zeal  to  rise  the  higher,  until  the  commissioners  of  the 
United  Colonies  met  at  Boston  in  September,  1658  ;  and 
then  they  advised  each  general  court  to  make  a  law  t(> 
banish  Quakers  on  pain  of  death.     And  such  a  law  wa^ 


1659.]  QUAKERS  HANGED.  91 

made  at  Boston  the  next  month,  by  the  majority  of  one 
vote  only ;  and  the  other  colonies  would  not  follow  their 
example.  Many  other  punishments  were  inflicted  upon 
the  Quakers  in  Plymouth  and  New  Haven  colonies,  but 
little  or  none  in  Connecticut.  _ 

On  October  20,  1659,  William  Robinson,  Marmaduke 
Stevenson,  and  Mary  Dyre,  were  condemned  to  die  for 
returning  after  they  were  banished  on  pain  of  death ;  and 
the  two  men  were  hanged  at  Boston  the  27th.  And 
though  the  woman  was  then  sent  away,  yet  she  returned, 
and  was  executed  June  1,  1660.  And  on  March  14, 
1661,  William  Leddra  was  hanged  there  for  the  like 
crime.  And  as  Charles  the  Second  had  been  restored  to 
the  crown  of  England  the  year  before,  Governor  Endicot 
and  his  court  wrote  to  him  in  December,  and  said,  **  Our 
liberty  to  walk  in  the  faith  of  the  gospel,  with  all  good 
conscience,  was  the  cause  of  our  transporting  ourselves, 
with  our  wives,  little  ones,  and  our  substance,  from  that 
pleasant  land  over  the  Atlantic  Ocean  into  this  vast  wil- 
derness, choosing  rather  the  pure  Scripture  worship  with 
a  good  conscience,  in  this  remote  wilderness  among  the 
heathen,  than  the  pleasures  of  England  with  submission 
to  the  then  so  disposed  and  so  far  prevailing  hierarchy, 
which  we  could  not  do  without  an  evil  conscience. — Con- 
cerning the  Quakers,  open  and  capital  blasphemers,  open 
seducers  from  the  glorious  Trinity,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  blessed  gospel,  and  from  the 
Holy  Scriptures  as  the  rule  of  life,  open  enemies  to  the 
government  itself  as  established  in  the  hands  of  any  but 
men  of  their  own  principles,  malignant  and  assiduous  pro- 
moters of  doctrines  directly  tending  to  subvert  both  our 
church  and  state,  after  all  other  means  for  a  long  time 
used  in  vain,  we  were  at  last  constrained  for  our  own  ~1 
safety  to  pass  a  sentence  of  banishment  against  them 
upon  pain  of  death.  Such  was  their  desperate  turbulence 
both  to  religion  and  state,  civil  and  ecclesiastical,  as  that 
the  magistrate  at  last,  in  conscience  both  to  God  and  man, 
judged  himself  called  for  the  defence  of  all,  to  keep  the 
passage  with  the  point  of  the  sword  held  towards  them  ; 
this  could  do  no  harm  to  him  that  would  be  warned 


92  CHURCH  HIsArY  of  new  ENGLAND.         [cH.  IV.  ^ 

] 

thereby ;  their  wittingly  rushing  themselves  thereupon 
was  their  own  act,  we  with  humility  conceive  a  crime 
bringing  their  blood  upon  their  own  heads."* 

But  William  Robinson  had  given  a  paper  to  the  court 
at  Boston,  in  which  he  said,  "  The  word  of  the  Lord  came 
expressly  to  me,  which  did  fill  me  immediately  with  life, 
and  power,  and  heavenly  love,  by  which  he  constrained 
me,  and  commanded  me  to  pass  to  the  town  of  Boston, 
my  life  to  lay  down  in  his  will,  for  the  accomplishing  of 
his  service,  that  he  had  there  to  perform  at  the  day  ap- 
pointed." And  Marmaduke  Stevenson  gave  them  another 
paper,  in  which  he  said,  '*  The  word  of  the  Lord  came 
unto  me,  saying,  Go  to  Boston,  with  thy  brother  William 
Robinson."! 

Thus  it  appears  that  both  sides  pleaded  a  conscientious 
obedience  to  God  in  their  actings  against  each  other.  And 
from  hence  we  may  see  that  the  use  of  force  in  religious 
affairs  is  a  bloody  practice.  And  though  King  Charles 
put  a  stop  to  their  hanging  any  more  here,  yet  he  said, 
"  We  cannot  be  understood  hereby  to  direct  or  wish  that 
any  indulgence  should  be  granted  to  those  persons  com- 
monly called  Quakers,  whose  principles  being  inconsistent 
with  any  kind  of  government,  we  have  found  it  necessary, 
with  the  advice  of  our  Parliament  here,  to  make  a  sharp 
law  against  them,  and  are  well  content  you  do  the  like 
there."}  And  many  more  dissenters  died  in  prison  in  his 
reign,  than  the  bloody  Queen  Mary  burnt  at  the  stake. 
Open  executions  were  now  become  more  odious  to  the  • 
people  than  in  former  days  of  ignorance  and  superstition, 
while  private  cruelty  was  borne  with  or  little  regarded. 
But  the  vengeance  of  God  will  reach  the  most  secret  / 
criminals,  as  well  as  the  most  open  murderers.  ~~~n/ 

*  Hutchinson's  Collections,  p.  326,  327. 

t  Bishop,  p.  127—133. 

\  Hutchinson's  Collections,  p.  379. 


1662.]  CONTENTION   ABOUT    BAPTISM.  93 


CHAPTER  V. 

Contention  about  baptism — Two  Baptist  churches  formed — That  at 
Boston  is  persecuted  three  years,  and  then  three  of  them  were 
banished — But  many  are  for  them  here,  and  clear  letters  are 
written  in  their  favour  from  England — After  they  had  been  con- 
fined a  year  they  were  released  from  prison — Injustice  about  Pro- 
vidence colony  exposed — And  they  at  last  prevail — Williams  dis- 
putes and  writes  against  the  Quakers — A  division  in  Boston  church 
— Clarke's  faith,  and  his  joyful  end. 

We  shall  now  return  to  the  affairs  of  baptism.  They 
who  supposed  that  each  believer  stood  in  the  same  rela- 
tion to  liis  children  as  Abraham  did  to  his  in  the  covenant 
of  circumcision,  brought  none  to  baptism  but  the  infants 
of  communicants  in  their  churches.  But  as  those  infants 
grew  up  and  had  children,  and  yet  were  not  communicants 
themselves,  a  greiU  trial  came  on  to  know  what  would 
become  of  succeeding  generations.  A  convention  of 
ministers  met  in  1657,  and  answered  twenty -one  ques- 
tions upon  the  subject,  and  had  them  printed  in  London. 
But  as  this  did  not  relieve  them,  another  convention  was 
called  at  Boston  in  1659,  and  a  synod  in  1662,  who 
introduced  a  halfway-covenant,  so  that  they  who  would 
own  it,  and  were  regular  in  their  lives,  might  have 
their  children  sprinkled  without  coming  to  the  ordinance 
of  the  supper  themselves.  This  was  pleasing  to  many, 
while  others  thought  it  to  be  an  apostasy  from  the  first 
principles  of  the  country  ;  and  the  controversy  about  it,  in 
various  shapes,  has  continued  ever  since. 

The  first  Baptist  church  in  Wales  was  formed  near 
Swansea,  in  that  country,  in  1649.  Mr.  John  Miles  was 
their  chief  leader,  and  they  increased  to  about  three  hun- 
dred members,  by  the  year  1662,  when  he  was  ejected 
out  of  his  place,  by  a  cruel  act  of  Parliament,  which 
turned  two  thousand  teachers  out  of  their  places  in  one 
day,  for  refusing  fully  to  conform  to  the  church  of  Eng- 
land.    He  then  came  over,  with  the  book  of  church  re- 


94  CHURCH     HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.        [cH.  V. 

cords  which  he  had  kept  there,  and  it  remains  in  our 
Swansea  to  this  day.  And  at  the  house  of  John  Butter- 
worth,  in  Rehoboth,  in  1663,  John  Miles,  elder,  James 
Brown,  Nicholas  Tanner,  Joseph  Carpenter,  John  But- 
terworth,  Eldad  Kingsley,  and  Benjamin  Alby,  solemnly 
covenanted  together  as  a  church  of  Christ,  to  obey  him 
in  all  his  ordinances  and  commandments.  They  were  in 
Plymouth  colony,  where  they  had  ever  enjoyed  much 
more  liberty  than  any  had  in  Massachusetts.  Mr.  Brown 
was  son  to  John  Brown,  who  had  long  been  a  magistrate 
in  that  colony,  and  his  son  served  them  afterwards  in 
that  office  for  eleven  years,  in  a  time  when  his  brethren 
in  Massachusetts  were  fined,  imprisoned,  and  banished. 
Indeed  Mr.  Miles  and  his  church  were  complained  of  to 
court,  for  holding  their  meetings  in  Rehoboth,  where  was 
a  Congregational  church,  and  a  small  fine  was  imposed 
upon  them  for  it.  But  in  1667,  the  court  granted  them 
the  town  of  Swansea,  where  the  church  has  continued 
by  succession  ever  since,  and  is  the  fourth  Baptist  church 
in  America. 

The  fifth  was  formed  in  Massachusetts.  The  liglu 
that  was  gained  in  1653,  when  President  Dunstar  preach- 
ed against  infant  baptism  in  Cambridge,  caused  Thomas 
Gould,  who  lived  near  him  in  Charlestown,  to  examine 
the  matter  so  much,  that  when  he  had  a  child  born  in  1655, 
he  could  not  bring  it  to  be  sprinkled.  For  this  he  was 
called  before  the  church  in  Charlestown,  and  he  told  them 
that  he  could  see  no  light  for  infant  baptism,  and  there- 
fore could  not,  in  conscience,  bring  his  child  to  it.  Upon 
this,  ministers,  rulers,  and  brethren  laboured  with  him, 
but  could  not  convince  him.  He  was  still  willing  to  com- 
mune with  that  church,  if  they  would  let  him  do  it  with- 
out carrying  his  child  to  an  ordinance,  which  he  had  no 
faith  in  ;  and  he  read  that  whatsoever  is  not  of  faith  is  sin. 
And  because  of  this,  and  also  his  going  out  of  meeting 
when  they  sprinkled  infants,  they  censured  him  in  their 
church,  and  punished  him  in  their  courts  for  more  than 
seven  years.  At  length  three  Baptist  brethren  came  over 
from  England,  recommended  from  churches  there,  and 
met  with  him  and  others  in  private  houses.     And   on 


1665.]  BAPTISTS  ARRESTED.  95 

May  28,  1665,  Thomas  Gould,  Thomas  Osborne,  Ed- 
ward Drinker,  John  George,  Richard  Goodale,  William 
Turner,  Robert  Lambert,  Mary  Goodale,  and  Mary 
Newell,  **  joined  in  a  solemn  covenant,  in  the  name  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  to  walk  in  fellowship  and  communion 
together  in  the  practice  of  all  the  holy  appointments  of 
Christ,  which  he  had,  or  should  further  make  known  unto 
them." 

Goodale  came  from  London,  and  Turner  and  Lambert 
from  Dartmouth  ;  the  others  were  of  our  country,  though 
none  of  them  were  church  members  before,  but  Gould 
and  Osborne,  both  of  Charlestown ;  from  whence  they 
were  excommunicated,  after  they  were  baptized.  These 
facts  I  gathered  from  their  records  and  writings.  They 
were  of  such  a  peaceable  disposition,  and  so  far  from  dis- 
turbing others,  as  the  Quakers  did,  that  their  rulers  hardly 
knew  where  to  find  them.  But  on  August  20,  1665, 
Richard  Russel,  one  of  their  magistrates,  issued  a  war- 
rant to  the  constable  of  Charlestown,  requiring  him  in  his 
majesty's  name,  to  labour  to  discover  where  these  people 
were,  and  to  require  them  to  attend  on  the  established 
worship,  or  if  they  would  not,  to  return  their  names  and 
places  of  abode  (o  the  next  magistrate.  This  was  done, 
and  some  of  them  were  brought  before  their  court  of  as- 
sistants in  September,  to  whom  they  presented  a  confes- 
sion of  their  faith,  in  which  they  said,  **  Christ's  commis- 
sion to  his  disciples  is  to  teach  and  baptize,  and  those 
who  gladly  receive  the  word  and  are  baptized,  are  fit  mat- 
ter for  a  visible  church."  But  this  was  loudly  complain- 
ed of,  as  implying  that  none  were  visible  saints,  who 
were  not  baptized  by  immersion  ;  though  they  held  that 
they  ought  to  be  visible  saints  before  they  were  baptized. 
Thus  men  turn  things  upside  down.  And  the  court  of 
assistants  charged  them  to  desist  from  their  practice  ;  and 
because  they  did  not,  Gould,  Turner,  Osborne,  Drinker, 
and  George,  were  brought  before  their  general  court  in 
October,  to  whom  they  presented  their  confession  of  faith, 
and  closed  with  saying,  **  If  any  take  this  to  be  heresy, 
then  do  we  with  the  apostle  confess,  that  after  tlie  way 
which  they  call  heresy,  we  worship  God,  the  Father  of 


96  CHURCH     HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.        [cH.  V. 

our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  believing  all  things  that  are  written 
in  the  law  and  the  prophets  and  apostles." 

But  the  court  called  this  a  contemning  of  their  author- 
ity and  laws,  and  declared  them  to  be  no  lawful  church 
assembly,  and  said,  '*  Such  of  them  as  are  freemen  are 
to  be  disfranchised,  and  all  of  them,  upon  conviction  be- 
fore any  one  magistrate  or  court,  of  their  further  pro- 
ceeding herein,  to  be  committed  to  prison  until  the  gene- 
ral court  shall  take  further  order  with  them."  Dr.  Ma- 
ther tries  to  vindicate  the  court  herein,  because  the  Bap- 
tists acted  against  the  law  of  the  government ;  but  a 
noted  Presbyterian  minister  says,  *'  This  condemns  all 
the  dissenting  congregations  that  have  been  gathered  in 
England,  since  the  act  of  uniformity  in  the  year  1662." 
And,  says  he,  "  Let  the  reader  judge,  who  had  most  rea- 
son to  complain  ;  the  New  England  churches,  who  would 
neither  suffer  the  Baptists  to  live  quietly  in  their  commu- 
nion, nor  separate  peaceably  from  it ;  or  these  unhappy 
persons,  who  were  treated  so  unkindly  for  following  the 
light  of  their  consciences."* 

Yet  for  following  that  light,  they  pursued  them  with 
fines  and  imprisonment,  for  three  years ;  and  then  the 
court  of  assistants  appointed  a  meeting  at  Boston,  April 
14,  1668,  and  called  six  ministers  to  manage  a  dispute 
whether  those  persons  ought  not  to  be  banished,  for  hold- 
ing a  separate  meeting  from  their  churches.  And  they 
sent  a  warrant  to  Thomas  Gould,  which  said,  *'  You  are 
required  in  his  majesty's  name  to  give  notice  to  John 
Farnum,  Thomas  Osborne,  and  the  company,  and  you 
and  they  are  alike  required  to  give  your  attendance,  at 
the  time  and  place  above  mentioned,  for  the  end  therein 
expressed."  And  as  this  was  heard  of  at  Newport,  Mi 
Clarke  and  his  church  sent  William  Hiscox,  Joseph  To- 
ry, and  Samuel  Hubbard,  to  assist  their  brethren,  ana 
they  got  to  Boston  three  days  before  the  dispute.  And  it 
was  carried  on  two  days  by  those  ministers,  with  allow- 
ing the  Baptists  but  little  liberty  to  speak  for  themselves  ; 
and  it  was  closed  by  Mr.  Mitchel,  with  the  words  of  Mo- 

*  Magnalia,  b.  7,  p.  27.    Neale  on  New  England,  vol.  i.  p.  304, 305. 


1668.]  GOULD    AND    OTHERS    BANISHED.  97 

ses,  who  said  to  Israel,  If  there  arise  a  matter  too  hard  tV 
thee  in  judgment,  between  blood  and  blood,  between  plea 
and  plea,  and  between  stroke  and  stroke,  being  matters  of 
controversy  within  thy  gates  ;  then  shalt  thou  arise,  and 
get  thee  up  into  the  place  which  the  Lord  thy  God  shall 
choose  ;  and  thou  shalt  come  unto  the  priests  the  Levites, 
and  unto  the  judge  tha^  shall  be  in  those  days,  and  in- 
quire ;  and  they  shall  shew  thee  the  sentence  of  judg- 
ment :  and  thou  shalt  do  according  to  the  sentence,  which 
they  of  that  place,  which  the  Lord  shall  choose,  shall 
shew  thee  ;  and  thou  shalt  observe  to  do  according  to  all 
that  they  inform  thee  ;  according  to  the  sentence  of  the 
law  which  they  shall  teach  thee,  and  according  to  the 
judgment  which  they  shall  tell  thee,  thou  shalt  do ;  thou 
shalt  not  decline  from  the  sentence  which  they  shall  shew 
thee,  to  the  right  hand  nor  the  left.  And  the  man  that 
will  do  presumptuously,  and  will  not  hearken  unto  the 
priest  (that  standeth-  there  before  the  Lord  thy  God)  or 
unto  the  judge,  even  that  man  shall  die;  and  thou  shalt 
put  away  the  evil  from  Israel.    Deut.  xvii.  8 — 12. 

Thus  the  sentence  that  was  given  from  the  law  of  God, 
in  the  place  he  chose,  under  the  direction  of  the  Urim 
and  Thummim,  w^s  applied  to  the  sentence  of  rulers  and 
ministers  at  Boston,  according  to  the  laws  of  men.  That 
they  then  applied  this  Scripture  in  this  manner,  appears 
from  their  colony  records,  compared  with  the  writings  of 
Samuel  Hubbard  and  Mr.  Gould.  And  thirty  years  after, 
Mr.  Stoddard  brought  the  same  Scriptures  to  prove,  that 
all  men  ought  to  submit  to  a  national  synod,  as  I  shall 
prove  hereafter. 

Their  general  court  in  May  called  those  Baptists  before 
them,  to  know  whether  they  were  convinced  of  their  evil 
in  withdrawing  from  their  churches,  by  what  said  minis- 
ters had  laid  before  them  ;  but  they  declared  that  they 
were  not  at  all  convinced  of  any  evil  in  so  doing.  The 
court  then  called  them  obstinate  Anabaptists,  whom  they 
were  bound  in  conscience  to  proceed  against ;  and  gave 
sentence  that  Thomas  Gould,  William  Turner,  and  John 
Farnum,  should  be  gone  out  of  their  jurisdiction  by  the 
20th  July,  not  to  return  again  without  their  leave.  And 
9 


98  CHURCH    HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.         [cH.  V. 

as  Gould  was  then  a  prisoner,  by  the  sentence  of  a  for- 
mer court,  he  was  liberated  from  thence,  in  order  that  he 
might  obey  this  sentence.  Mr.  Mitchel,  who  read  off 
said  scripture  against  them,  died  suddenly  eleven  days  be- 
fore the  time  set  in  their  sentence  of  banishment ;  but 
this  gave  no  relief  to  these  sufferers.  And  because  they 
did  not  obey  their  sentence,  these  three  men  were  impri- 
soned in  Boston  for  near  or  quite  a  year. 

How  any  who  feared  God,  could  go  on  to  act  against 
others,  as  these  rulers  and  ministers  did,  may  seem  very 
strange  in  our  days  ;  but  a  careful  search  into  their  histo- 
ry will  open  the  cause  of  it.  Mr.  Wilson,  the  first  mi- 
nister of  Boston,  was  in  great  esteem  with  other  ministers, 
who  came  round  him  in  May  past,  and  desired  him  to 
give  his  dying  testimony  of  what  he  conceived  to  be  the 
cause  of  the  displeasure  of  God  against  this  country. 
He  told  them  that  he  had  long  feared  the  following  sins  as 
chief  among  others,  which  provoked  God  greatly, 
"  1.  Separation.  2.  Anabaptism.  3.  Corahism,  when 
people  rise  up  as  Corah,  against  their  ministers  or  elders, 
as  if  they  took  too  much  upon  them,  when  indeed  they 
do  but  rule  for  Christ,  and  according  to  Christ.  4.  An- 
other sin  I  take  to  be,  the  making  light  of,  and  not  sub- 
jecting to  the  authority  of  synods."*  These  things  he 
delivered  as  his  dying  testimony  ;  and  he  died  August  7, 
1668,  just  after  those  Baptists  were  put  in  prison  there. 
No  one  can  easily  tell  how  great  impressions  such  things 
had  upon  their  minds.  Indeed  some  were  of  a  different 
opinion,  and  when  their  general  court  met  in  the  fall,  they 
presented  a  petition  in  favour  of  those  sufferers,  and  said, 
"  We  humbly  beseech  this  honourable  court,  in  their 
Christian  mercy  and  bowels  of  compassion,  to  pity  and 
relieve  these  poor  prisoners ;  whose  sufferings  are  doubt- 
ful to  many,  and  some  of  great  worth  among  ourselves, 
and  grievous  to  the  hearts  of  God's  people  at  home  and 
abroad.  Your  wisdoms  may  be  pleased  to  think  of  some 
better  expedient,  and  seriously  to  consider  whether  an  in- 
dulgence, justifiable  by  the  word  of  God,  pleaded  for  and 


*  Morton,  p,  195,  196. 


I 


1669.]         LETTERS  FROM  ENGLAND.  99 

practised  by  Congregational  churches,  may  not,  in  this 
(Jay  of  suffering  to  the  people  of  God,  be  more  effectual, 
safe,  and  inoffensive  than  other  ways,  which  are  always 
grievous  and  seldom  lind  success."  And  they  spoke 
highly  of  the  good  lives  of  those  Baptists,  as  another 
plea  in  their  favour.  Captain  Hutchinson,  Captain  Oliver, 
and  many  others  signed  this  petition ;  but  some  were 
fined  for  it,  and  others  were  compelled  to  confess  their 
fault,  for  reflecting  upon  the  court.  But  Deputy  Govern- 
or Willoughby  was  against  these  proceedings.*  An  ac- 
count of  these  things  was  sent  to  England,  and  a  letter 
from  thence  to  Captain  Oliver,  said, 

^'My  dear  Brother^ 
**  The  ardent  affection  and  great  honours  that  I  have  for 
New  England  transport  me,  and  1  hope  your  churches  shall 
ever  be  to  me  as  the  gates  of  heaven.  1  have  ever  been 
warmed  with  the  apprehension  of  the  grace  of  God  to- 
wards me  in  carrying  me  thither.  But  now  it  is  other- 
wise; with  joy  to  ourselves  and  grief  to  you  be  it  spoken. 
Now  tlu^  greater  my  love  is  to  New  England,  the  more 
am  I  f  rieved  at  their  failings.  It  is  frequently  said  here, 
that  lliey  are  swerved  aside  towards  Presbytery;  if  so, 
the  Loi  J  restore  them  all.  But  another  sad  thing  that 
much  affects  us  is,  to  hear  that  you  even  in  New  England 
persecute  your  brethren ;  men  sound  in  the  faith  ;  of  holy 
life ;  agreeing  in  worship  and  discipline  with  you  ;  only 
differing  in  the  point  of  baptism.  Dear  brother,  we  here 
do  love  and  honour  them,  hold  familiarity  with  them,  and 
take  sweet  counsel  together  ;  they  lie  in  the  bosom  of 
Christ,  and  therefore  they  ought  to  belaid  in  our  bosoms. 
In  a  word,  we  freely  admit  them  into  churches  ;  few  of 
our  churches,  but  many  of  our  members  are  Anabaptists  ; 
I  merm  baptized  again.  This  is  love  in  England  ;  this  is 
moderation  ;  this  is  a  right  New  Testament  spirit.  -But 
do  you  now  bear  with,  yea,  more  than  bear  with  the  Pres- 
byterians ?  Yea,  and  that  the  worst  sort  of  them,  those 
who  are  the  corruptest,  rigidest ;  whose  principles  tend 

•  Hutchinson,  vol.  i.  p.  227.  269. 


..00  CHURCH    HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.         [CH.  V. 

lO  corrupt  the  churches ;  turning  the  world  into  the 
church,  and  the  church  into  the  world  ;  and  which  doth  no 
less  than  to  bring  a  people  under  mere  slavery.  It  is  an 
iron  yoke,  which  neither  we  nor  our  Congregational  bre- 
thren in  Scotland  were  ever  able  to  bear.  I  have  heard 
them  utter  these  words  in  the  pulpit,  that  it  is  no  wrong 
to  make  the  Independents  sell  all  they  have,  and  depart 
the  land ;  and  many  more  things  I  might  mention  of  that 
kind  ;  but  this  I  hint  only,  to  shew  what  cause  there  is  to 
withstand  that  wicked  tyranny  which  was  once  set  up  in 
poor  miserable  Scotland,  which  I  verily  believe  was  a 
great  wrong  and  injury  to  the  reformation.  The  generali- 
ty of  them  here,  even  to  this  day,  will  not  freely  consent 
to  our  enjoyment  of  our  liberty  ;  though*  through  mercy, 
the  best  and  most  reformed  of  them  do  otherwise.  How 
much,  therefore,  would  it  concern  dear  New  England  to 
turn  the  edge  against  those  who,  if  not  prevented,  will 
certainly  corrupt  and  enslave,  not  only  their  own,  but  also 
your  churches  ?  Whereas  Anabaptists  are  neither  spirit- 
ed or  principled  to  injure  or  hurt  your  government  nor 
your  liberties  ;  but  rather  these  be  the  means  to  preserve 
your  churches  from  apostasy,  and  to  provoke  them  to 
their  primitive  purity,  as  they  were  in  the  first  planting; 
in  admission  of  members  to  receive  none  into  your 
churches  but  visible  saints,  and  in  restoring  the  entire  ju- 
risdiction of  every  congregation  complete  and  undisturb- 
ed. We  are  hearty  and  full  for  our  Presbyterian  bre- 
thren's equal  liberty  with  ourselves  ;  O  that  they  had  the 
same  spirit  towards  us  !  But  O  how  it  grieves  and  af- 
fects us,  that  New  England  should  persecute  !  Will  you 
not  give  what  you  take  ?  Is  liberty  of  conscience  your 
due  ?  And  is  it  not  as  due  unto  others  who  are  sound  in 
the  faith  ?  Amongst  many  Scriptures,  that  in  the  four- 
teenth of  Romans  much  confirms  me  in  liberty  of  con- 
science thus  stated.  To  him  that  esteemeth  any  thing 
unclean,  to  him  it  is  unclean.  Therefore,  though  we  a[)- 
prove  of  the  baptism  of  the  immediate  children  of  church 
members,  and  of  their  admission  into  the  church  when  they 
evidence  a  real  work  of  grace ;  yet  to  those  who  in  con- 
science believe  the  said  baptism  to  be  unclean,  it  is  unclean. 


1669.]  LETTERS    FROM    KWl^I^NIt.  l()\ 

Both  that  and  mere  ruling  elders,  though  we  approve  of 
them,  yet  our  grounds  are  mere  interpretations  of,  and  not 
any  express  scripture.  I  cannot  say  so  clearly  of  any 
thing  else  in  our  religion,  neither  as  to  faith  or  practice. 
Now  must  we  force  our  interpretations  upon  others,  pope- 
like ?  How  do  you  cast  a  reproach  upon  us  who  are 
Congregational  in  England,  and  furnish  our  adversaries 
with  weapons  against  us  !  We  blush  and  are  filled  with 
shame  and  confusion  of  face,  when  we  hear  of  these 
things.  Dear  brother,  we  pray  that  God  would  open 
your  eyes,  and  persuade  the  heart  of  your  magistrates, 
that  they  may  no  more  smite  their  fellow-servants,  nor 
thus  greatly  injure  us  their  brethren,  and  that  they  may 
not  thus  dishonour  the  name  of  God.  My  dear  brother, 
pardon  me,  for  I  am  affected ;  I  speak  for  God,  to  whose 
grace  I  commend  you  all  in  New  England  ;  and  humbly 
craving  your  prayers  for  us  here,  and  remain  your  affec- 
tionate  brother,  ^^^^^^  Mascall. 

Finsbury,  near  Morefield,  March  25,  1669." 

This  was  copied  by  Mr.  Samuel  Hubbard,  from  whence 
I  took  it.  Dr.  Goodwin,  Dr.  Owen,  and  ten  other  minis- 
ters wrote  to  the  Massachusetts  rulers  the  same  day,  in  a 
moving  manner,  and  said,  *'We  are  sure  you  would  be 
unwilling  to  put  an  advantage  into  the  hands  of  some  who 
seek  pretences  and  occasions  against  our  liberty,  and  to 
reinforce  the  former  rigour.  Now  we  cannot  deny  but 
this  hath  already  in  some  measure  been  done,  in  that  it 
hath  been  vogued,  that  persons  of  your  way,  principles, 
and  spirit,  cannot  bear  with  dissenters  from  them.  And 
as  this  greatly  reflects  upon  us,  so  some  of  us  have  ob- 
served how  already  it  has  turned  to  your  own  disadvan- 
tage." Yet  Dr.  Mather  says,  *'  I  cannot  say  that  this 
excellent  letter  had  immediately  all  the  effect  it  should 
have  had."*  So  that  they  were  imprisoned  about  a  year, 
because  they  would  not  voluntarily  go  out  of  that  juris- 
diction.    And  the  year  after,  six  magistrates  gave  a  war- 

*  Magnolia,  b.  7,  p.  27,  28. 
9* 


"102         '        cilURCH    ihSTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.    [CH.    V. 

rant  to  take  up  Gould  and  Turner  again,  and  Turner  was 
actually  put  in  prison  upon  the  old  sentence,  and  lay- 
there  a  long  time  ;  but  Gould  went  and  lived  and  preached 
upon  Noddle's  island  in  the  harbour,  where  they  did  not 
pursue  him.  For  a  great  many  rulers  and  others  ab- 
horred such  conduct.  But  we  must  now  take  a  review  of 
other  things. 

When  the  rulers  of  Massachusetts  yielded  to  the  order 
of  Parliament  about  Warwick,  they  were  far  from  giving 
up  their  designs  upon  the  lands  in  Providence  colony- 
They  claimed  much  of  the  west  part  of  it,  because  of  the 
Pequot  conquest;  and  in  1657  and  1658,  they  sent  men 
and  got  deeds  of  much  land  in  the  heart  of  the  Narra- 
ganset  country.  The  Narraganset  Indians  were  also  so 
uneasy  about  the  death  of  their  great  sachem,  Miantenimo, 
that  they  often  attempted  to  revenge  his  death,  but  were 
overpowered  by  forces  sent,  once  and  again,  from  Massa- 
chusetts;  and  in  1660,  they  compelled  those  Indians  to 
mortgage  all  their  lands  to  them,  for  what  they  said  was 
due  to  Massachusetts.  And  because  two  Baptist  brethren, 
Tobias  Sanders,  and  Robert  Burdick,  went  to  work  upon 
lands  which  they  had  procured  from  their  government  in 
Westerly :  they  were  imprisoned  by  Massachusetts  in 
1662,  who  then  wrote  to  the  rulers  of  Providence  colony 
about  it,  as  it  appears  by  the  records  of  both  colonies.  In 
the  mean  time,  Mr.  Winthrop  went  over  to  England,  and 
obtained  a  charter,  dated  April  23,  1662,  which  united 
Connecticut  and  New  Haven  in  one  colony.  Their 
eastern  boundary  was  described  to  be  "  By  the  Narra- 
ganset river,  commonly  called  Narraganset  Bay,  where 
said  river  falleth  into  the  sea."  And  by  this  general  de- 
scription they  claimed  the  Narraganset  country.  For 
when  the  commissioners  of  the  united  colonies  met  at 
Boston  in  September,  they  wrote  to  the  rulers  of  Provi- 
dence colony,  and  mentioned  this  charter  to  Connecticut, 
which  they  said,  **  Granted  the  lands  at  Pawcatuck  and 
Narraganset,  which  we  hope  will  prevail  with  you  to  re- 
quire and  cause  your  people  to  withdraw  themselves,  and 
desist  from  further  disturbance." 

Now  they  should  have  remembered,  that  in  1643,  they 


1670.]     PROVIDENCE  BOUNDARY  SETTLED.        103 

interpreted  the  Narraganset  river,  the  western  boundary 
of  Plymouth  colony,  so  as  to  include  the  lands  where 
Gorton  was  settled ;  and  all  that  Massachusetts  did  to  him 
was  founded  upon  that  interpretation,  which  supposed 
Pawcatuck  to  be  the  western  boundary  of  Plymouth 
colony.  Yet  now  they  would  claim  all  the  Narraganset 
country  by  Connecticut  charter.  What  great  blindness 
was  here !  And  it  was  soon  discovered  by  the  charter 
which  Mr.  Clarke  procured  for  his  colony,  dated  July  8, 
1663,  which  said,  **  Pawcatuck  river  shall  be  also  called, 
alias,  Narraganset  river ;  and  to  prevent  future  disputes 
that  otherwise  might  arise  thereby,  forever  hereafter  shall 
be  construed,  deemed,  and  taken  to  be  the  Narraganset 
river,  in  the  late  grant  to  Connecticut  colony,  mentioned 
as  the  eastwardly  bounds  of  that  colony."  Yet  they 
were  so  resolute  that  it  should  not  be  so,  that  they  pro- 
posed to  send  an  agent  over  to  England,  to  get  that  line 
altered.  Upon  which  Mr.  Williams  wrote  to  Connecticut 
rulers,  and  said  : 

"  It  looks  like  a  prodigy  or  monster,  that  countrymen 
among  savagres  in  a  wilderness  ;  that  professors  of  God 
and  one  Mediator,  of  an  eternal  life,  and  that  this  is  like 
a  dream,  should  not  be  content  with  those  vast  large 
tracts  which  all  the  other  colonies  have,  (like  platters  and 
tables  full  of  dainties,)  but  pull  and  snatch  away  their 
poor  neighbour's  bit  or  crust ;  and  a  crust  it  is,  and  a  dry, 
hard  one  too,  because  of  the  natives'  continual  troubles, 
trials,  and  vexations."  And  as  to  claims  from  the  Pequot 
conquest,  he  said,  "  Having  ocular  knowledge  of  persons, 
places,  and  transactions,  I  did  honestly  and  conscien- 
tiously, as  in  the  holy  presence  of  God,  draw  up  from 
Pawcatuck  river,  which  I  then  believed  and  still  do  is  free 
from  all  English  claims  and  conquests.  For  although 
there  were  some  Pequots  on  this  side  the  river,  who  by 
reason  of  some  sachems'  marriages  with  some  on  this 
side,  lived  in  a  kind  of  neutrality  with  both  sides ;  yet 
upon  the  breaking  out  of  the  war,  they  relinquished  their 
land  to  the  possession  of  their  enemies  the  Narrag-ansets 
and  Nyanticks,  and  their  land  never  came  into  the  con- 
dition of  the  lands  on  the  other  side,  which  the  English 


104  CHURCH   HISTORY   OF   NEW  ENGLAND.         [cH.  V. 

by  conquest  challenged  :  so  that  I  must  affirm,  as  in  God's 
holy  presence,  I  tenderly  waived  to  touch  a  foot  of  land  in 
which  I  knew  the  Pequot  wars  were  maintained,  and 
were  properly  Pequot,  being  a  gallant  country.  And 
from  Pawcatuck  river  hitherward,  being  but  a  patch  of 
ground,  full  of  troublesome  inhabitants,  I  did,  as  I  judged 
inoffensively,  draw  our  poor  and  inconsiderable  line." 
And  he  says  of  their  second  charter,  "Mr.  Winthrop, 
upon  some  mistake,  had  intrenched  upon  our  line,  and  it 
is  said  upon  the  lines  of  other  charters  also ;  but  upon 
Mr.  Clarke's  complaint,  your  grant  was  called  in  again, 
and  it  had  never  been  returned,  but  upon  a  report  that  the 
agents,  Mr.  Winthrop,  and  Mr.  Clarke,  were  agreed  by 
mediation  of  friends  ;  and  it  is  true  they  came  to  a  solemn 
agreement  under  hands  and  seals,  which  agreement  was 
never  violated  on  our  part."* 

This  letter  was  dated  June  22,  1670.  And  though  the 
case  was  not  then  carried  again  to  England,  yet  this  line 
was  not  settled  in  fifty  years  after.  But  in  1720,  Go- 
vernor Jenks  was  sent  over  as  agent  upon  this  contro- 
versy, and  it  was  settled  in  1729,  the  line  to  be  Paw- 
catuck river.  And  in  1741,  their  easterly  line  was 
settled,  which  gave  their  colony  Littlecompton,  Tiverton, 
Bristol,  Warren,  Barrington,  and  Cumberland,  which  they 
had  not  enjoyed  before.  Thus  all  the  lands,  and  all  the 
liberties  that  were  asked  for  by  Mr.  Williams  and  Mr. 
Clarke,  were  finally  obtained  in  that  colony,  though 
others  exerted  all  their  powers  against  it.  And  these 
things  give  great  encouragement  to  all  who  may  come 
after  us,  to  perseverance  in  right  ways,  and  a  warning 
against  all  injustice  and  oppression. 

Mr.  Williams  had  also  another  difficulty  now  to  en 
counter,  in  which  he  was  successful.  Though  Mr.  Cod- 
dington,  and  other  men  of  note,  submitted  to  his  govern- 
ment in  1656  :  yet  as  they  soon  joined  with  the  Quakers, 
they  refused  to  be  active  in  that  government.  Their 
plea  was,  that  they  were  obliged  in  conscience  to  refrain 
from  taking  any  oath.     Therefore  the  form  of  an  engage- 

*  Historical  Society,  vol.  i.  p.  278—280. 


1672.]  DISPUTES    WITH    QUAKERS.  105 

ment  to  the  government  was  enacted  for  them  in  1665, 
which  it  was  hoped  they  would  take ;  but  in  March, 
1666,  they  objected  against  it,  and  prevailed  with  their 
Assembly  to  make  a  law  to  allow  them  to  make  their  sub- 
mission in  their  own  words,  either  before  the  court  or  be- 
fore two  magistrates.  And  then  they  were  as  fond  of  being 
rulers  as  any  men :  and  Mr.  Nicholas  Easton  was  go- 
vernor in  1672  and  1673,  and  Mr.  Coddington  in  1674  and 
1675,  who  were  then  Quakers.  And  as  Williams  believed 
that  their  principles  were  hurtful  to  government,  as  well 
as  dangerous  to  the  souls  of  men,  and  George  Fox  and 
Other  teachers  of  theirs  were  come  over,  he  wrote  four- 
teen propositions  upon  the  subject,  and  sent  them  to 
Newport,  proposing  to  Fox  or  his  friends,  to  hold  a  dis- 
pute upon  seven  of  them  at  Newport,  and  upon  the  other 
seven  at  Providence,  upon  any  days  that  they  should  ap- 
point. Fox  then  sailed  for  England,  but  John  Stubs, 
John  Burnyeat,  and  William  Edmondson  undertook  it ; 
and  Williams  held  a  dispute  with  them  in  August,  1672, 
'  three  days  at  Newport,  and  one  at  Providence.  And  he 
MTOte  a  large  account  of  it,  which  was  printed  at  Cam- 
bridge, 1676;  and  soon  after  it  came  out,  several  of  the' 
Quakers  were  left  out  of  office.  Upon  this,  Mr.  Cod- 
dington sent  the  book  over  to  Fox,  with  a  bitter  letter 
against  Williams ;  and  he  with  Burnyeat  wrote  a  reply, 
which  they  called,  "  A  New  England  firebrand  quenched." 
And  it  was  printed  in  England,  in  1678. 

Mr.  Williams  dedicated  his  book  to  them,  wherein  he 
said,  '*  From  my  childhood,  now  above  threescore  years, 
the  Father  of  lights  and  mercies  touched  my  soul  with 
the  love  of  himself,  to  his  only  begotten  Son,  the  true 
Lord  Jesus,  to  his  Holy  Scriptures,  &c.  His  infinite 
wisdom  hath  given  me  to  see  the  city,  court,  and  country, 
the  schools  and  universities  of  my  native  country,  to 
converse  with  some  Turks,  Jews,  Papists,  and  all  sorts 
of  Protestants  ;  and  by  books  to  know  the  affairs  and  re- 
ligions of  all  countries.  My  conclusion  is,  that  Be  of 
good  cheer,  thy  sins  are  forgiven  thee,  (Matt.  ix.  2,)  is 
one  of  the  joyfullest  sounds  that  ever  came  to  poor  sinful 
ears.     How  to  obtain  this  sound  from  the  mouth  of  the 


106  CHURCH    HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.       [CH.  IV. 

Mediator  who  spoke  it,  is  the  greatest  dispute  between 
the  Protestants  and  the  bloody  whore  of  Rome ;  and  this 
is  also  the  greatest  point  between  the  Protestants  and 
yourselves,  as  also,  in  order  to  this,  about  what  the  tru6 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  is." 

They  were  so  much  upon  what  Christ  did  within 
them,  that  he  says  George  Fox,  in  a  former  book,  "  can- 
not endure  to  hear  the  word  human,  as  being  a  new  name 
and  never  heard  of  in  Scripture.  Fox  knows,  that  if 
Christ  Jesus  be  granted  to  have  had  such  a  soul  and  body 
as  is  human  or  common  to  man,  down  falls  their  Dagon 
before  the  ark  of  God,  viz.  their  idol  of  a  Christ  called 
light  within  them."*  To  which  it  was  answered, 
"  There  is  no  such  word  that  calleth  Christ's  body  and 
soul  human;  and  whether  is  Christ's  body  celestial  or 
terrestrial,  "t 

And  this  opinion  prevailed  so  much  at  Newport,  that 
Mr.  Clarke  and  his  church,  after  much  labour,  excluded 
three  men  and  two  women  from  their  communion,  Octo-' 
ber  16,  1673,  for  holding  "That  the  man  Christ  Jesus 
was  not  now  in  heaven  nor  earth,  nor  anywhere  else,  but 
that  his  body  was  entirely  lost."  This  Mr.  Comer  says 
he  took  from  their  records.  Such  was  their  language 
then,  let  it  be  altered  ever  so  much  since.  And  as  to 
government.  Fox  published  a  book  in  1659,  in  which  he 
said,  "  that  the  magistrate  of  Christ,  the  help  government 
for  him,  he  is  in  the  light  and  power  of  Christ ;  and  he 
is  to  subject  all  under  the  power  of  Christ,  into  his  light, 
else  he  is  not  a  faithful  magistrate ;  and  his  laws  are 
agreeable,  and  answerable  according  to  that  of  God  in 
every  man. "J  Williams  brought  this  to  prove  that  their 
spirit  was  arbitrary  and  persecuting ;  but  Fox  said,  '*  Is 
there  one  word  of  persecution  here  ?  or  can  Roger  Wil- 
liams think  himself  a  Christian,  and  look  upon  it  to  be 
persecution,  for  Christ*s  magistrates  by  Christ's  light 
and  power,  to  subject  all  under  the  power  of  Christ,  and 
to   bring  all  into  this  light  of  Christ  ?  or  can  he  think 

•  Williams,  p.  51.  f  Fox,  p.  43. 


•   Wiiuams,  p.  51. 

4:  Williams,  p.  207,  208 


1672.]  DISPUTES    WITH    QUAKERS.  107 

such  an  one  an  unfaithful  magistrate  ?  or  are  those  laws, 
and  the  execution  of  them,  persecution,  that  are  agreeable 
and  answerable  to  that  of  God  in  every  man  ?  These  are 
George  Fox's  words.  Such  magistrates,  such  laws,  such 
power,  and  light,  and  subjection,  is  George  Fox  for,  and 
no  other."* 

And  as  two  women  had  appeared  as  naked  as  they 
were  born,  before  many  people,  the  one  at  Salem  and  the 
other  at  Newbury,  and  had  been  whipped  for  it,  which 
George  Bishop  called  persecution,  Williams  mentioned 
it,  and  that  he  thought  persons  must  be  bewitched  to  call 
this  persecution.  But  Fox  said,  **  We  do  believe  thee, 
in  that  dark,  persecuting,  bloody  spirit,  that  thou  and  the 
New  England  priests  are  bewitched  in,  you  cannot  be- 
lieve that  you  are  naked  from  God  and  his  clothing,  and 
blind ;  and  therefore  hath  the  Lord  in  his  power  moved 
some  of  his  sons  and  daughters  to  go  naked ;  yea,  they 
did  tell  them  in  Oliver's  days,  and  the  Long  Parliament's, 
that  God  would  strip  them  of  their  church  profession  and 
of  their  power,  as  naked  as  they  were.  And  so  they 
were  true  prophets  and  prophetesses  to  the  nation,  as 
many  sober  men  have  confessed  since ;  though  thou  and 
the  old  persecuting  priests  in  New  England  remain  in 
your  blindness  and  nakedness. "t 

And  through  their  book  they  called  him  a  cruel  perse- 
cutor for  disputing  against  their  principles  and  behaviour, 
while  he  abhorred  the  use  of  any  force  against  them  on 
that  account.  And  having  obtained  his  end  in  the  dispute, 
he  never  troubled  them  or  himself  any  more  about  it. 

But  the  dispute  about  baptism  was  again  brought  up  in 
Massachusetts.  Mr.  John  Devenport  had  published  his 
testimony  against  the  result  of  the  synod  of  1662,  which 
allowed  persons  to  bring  their  children  to  baptism,  who 
were  not  fit  to  come  to  the  Lord's  supper  themselves ; 
and  as  a  majority  of  the  first  church  in  Boston  were  of 
his  mind,  they  obtained  him  for  their  pastor,  soon  after 
Mr.  Wilson  died.  But  a  minor  part  of  the  church  were 
for  the  new  scheme,  and  they  separated  from  the  major- 

•  Fox,  p.  229,  230.  f  ^o^»  P-  ^- 


108  CHURCH     HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.      [CH.  IV. 

ity,  pleading  that  Mr.  Devenport  had  no  right  to  leave 
his  people  at  New  Haven,  in  order  to  be  a  minister  in 
Boston.  And  in  May,  1669,  a  number  of  ministers  as- 
sisted in  forming  the  minor  party  into  another  church ; 
and  in  July  Governor  Bellingham  called  his  council  to- 
gether, fearing,  he  said,  "  A  sudden  tumult,  some  per- 
sons attempting  to  set  up  an  edifice  for  public  worship, 
which  he  apprehended  to  be  detrimental  to  the  public 
peace."  But  the  majority  of  his  council  voted  to  let 
them  go  on  ;  though  a  hot  contention  about  it  continued 
through  the  year.  And  in  May,  1670,  the  house  of  re- 
presentatives chose  a  committee  to  inquire  into  the  causes 
of  God's  displeasure  against  this  land  ;  and  they  reported 
that  they  were,  '*  declension  from  the  primitive  founda- 
tion work,  innovations  in  doctrine  and  worship,  opinion 
and  practice ;  an  invasion  of  the  rights,  liberties,  and  pri- 
vileges of  churches,  an  usurpation  of  a  lordly  and  prelati- 
cal  power  over  God's  heritage,  subversion  oT  gospel 
order,  &;c."  And  the  acting  of  the  ministers  who  formed 
said  new  church  they  called,  "  irregular,  illegal,  and  dis- 
orderly." But  of  fifty  members  who  were  in  their  next 
house,  there  were  but  twenty  of  these  ;  and  they  declared 
against  what  the  others  had  done.*  Such  was  the  in- 
fluence of  ministers  in  that  day.  And  in  May,  1682, 
Edward  Randolph,  who  was  trying  to  get  away  their 
charter,  wrote  to  England,  and  said,  **  There  was  a  great 
difference  betwixt  the  old  church  and  the  members  of  the 
new  church,  about  baptism  and  their  members  joining  in 
full  communion  with  either  church.  This  was  so  high 
that  there  was  imprisoning  of  parties  and  great  disturb- 
ances ;  but  now,  hearing  of  my  proposals  for  ministers  to 
be  sent  over,  they  are  now  joined  together,  about  a  fort- 
night ago,  and  pray  to  God  to  confound  the  devices  of  all 
who  disturb  their  peace  and  liberties. "t  That  new 
church  is  since  called  the  Old  South. 

Whilst  Mr.  Clarke  was  in  England,  a  new  Baptist 
church  was  formed  out  of  the  first  church  in  Newport, 
holding  to  the  laying  on  of  hands  upon  every  member 

♦  Hutchinson,  vol.  i.  p.  272—274.      f  His  Collections,  p.  632. 


1673.]  MR.    JOHN    CLARKE.  109 

after  baptism,  about  the  year  1656,  which  was  the  third 
Baptist  church  in  America,  and  is  still  continued  by  suc- 
cession. And  as  other  colonies  were  then  trying  to  draw 
his  colony  into  violent  measures  against  the  Quakers,  the 
Legislature  of  Rhode  Island  colony  wrote  to  Mr.  Clarke 
and  said,  '*  We  have  found,  not  only  your  ability  and  dili- 
gence, but  also  your  love  and  care  to  be  such  concerning 
the  welfare  and  prosperity  of  this  colony,  since  you  have 
been  intrusted  with  the  more  public  affairs  thereof,  sur- 
passing the  no  small  benefit  which  we  had  of  your  pre- 
sence here  at  home,  that  we  in  all  straits  and  encum- 
brances, are  emboldened  to  repair  to  you  for  further  and 
continued  care,  counsel,  and  help  ;  finding  that  your  solid 
and  Christian  demeanor  hath  gotten  no  small  interest  in 
the  hearts  of  our  superiors,  those  noble  and  worthy  sena- 
tors, with  whom  you  had  to  do  in  our  behalf,  as  it  hath 
constantly  appeared  in  our  addresses  to  them,  we  have  by 
good  and  comfortable  proof  found,  having  had  plentiful 
experience  thereof."  And  so  they  went  on  to  entreat 
him  to  use  all  his  influence  in  their  favour,  that  they 
might  not  be  compelled  to  persecute  the  Quakers,  and  he 
succeeded  therein.-  This  was  dated,  November  5,  1658, 
the  month  after  the  law  was  made  at  Boston  to  banish 
them  on  pain  of  death. 

Mr.  Clarke  continued  their  agent  in  England,  until  he 
obtained  the  charter  from  the  king  which  I  mentioned  be- 
fore, to  procure  which  he  mortgaged  his  farm  in  Newport, 
willing  to  venture  his  estate  in  so  good  a  cause.  He 
came  over  to  Newport  in  1664,  and  their  assembly  voted 
to  pay  him  for  all  his  expenses,  in  obtaining  their  charter 
and  other  ways,  and  to  give  him  a  considerable  reward  for 
his  services  ;  but  it  was  a  long  time  before  they  paid  him 
only  for  his  expenses  in  their  service. 

From  that  time  he  continued  the  pastor  of  the  first 
church  in  Newport,  until  he  died  in  peace.  A  small 
church  was  formed  out  of  that,  in  December,  1671,  hold- 
ing to  the  seventh-day  Sabbath,  which  yet  continues. 
This  made  the  sixth  Baptist  church  in  America.  Mr. 
Clarke  left  a  confession  of  his  faith  in  writing,  in  which 
he  said, 

10 


110  CHURCH    HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.         [CH.   V. 

"  The  decree  of  God  is  that  whereby  he  hath  from 
eternity  set  down  with  himself  what  shall  come  to  pass 
in  time.  Eph.  i.  11.  All  things,  with  their  causes,  ef- 
fects, circumstances,  and  manner  of  being,  are  decreed  by 
God.  Acts  ii.  23.  Him  being  delivered  by  the  determi- 
nate counsel  and  foreknowledge  of  God,  &:c.  Acts  iv.  28. 
This  decree  is  most  wise.  Rom.  xi.  33.  Most  just. 
Rom.  ix.  13,  14.  Eternal.  Ep.  i.  4,  5.  2  Thess.  ii.  13. 
Necessary.  Ps.  xxxiii.  11.  Prov.  xix.  21,  Unchange- 
able. Heb.  vi.  17.  Most  free.  Rom.  ix.  18.  And  the 
cause  of  all  good.  James  i.  17.  But  not  of  any  sin.  1 
John  i.  5.  The  special  decree  of  God  concerning  angels 
and  men  is  called  predestination.  Rom.  viii.  30.  Of  the 
former,  viz.  angels,  little  is  spoken  in  the  Holy  Scriptures; 
of  the  latter,  more  is  revealed,  not  unprofitable  to  be 
known.  It  may  be  defined  the  wise,  free,  just,  eternal, 
and  unchangeable  sentence  or  decree  of  God,  determining 
to  create  and  govern  men  for  his  special  glory,  viz.  the 
praise  of  his  glorious  mercy  and  justice.  Rom.  ix.  17, 
1 8,  and  xi.  36.  Election  is  the  decree  of  God,  of  his 
free  love,  grace,  and  mercy,  choosing  some  men  to  faith, 
holiness,  and  eternal  life,  for  the  praise  of  his  glorious 
mercy.  1  Thess.  i.  4.  2  Thess.  ii.  13.  Rom.  viii.  29,30. 
The  cause  which  moved  the  Lord  to  elect  them  who  are 
chosen  was  none  other  but  his  mere  good  will  and  plea- 
sure. Luke  xii.  32.  The  end  is  the  manifestation  of  the 
riches  of  his  grace  and  mercy.  Rom.  ix.  23.  Eph.  i.  6. 
The  sending  of  Christ,  faith,  holiness,  and  eternal  life,  are 
the  effects  of  his  love,  by  which  he  manifesteth  the  infinite 
riches  of  his  grace.  In  the  same  order  God  doth  execute 
this  decree  in  time,  he  did  decree  it  in  his  eternal  counsel. 
1  Thess.  V.  9.  2  Thess.  ii.  13.  Sin  is  the  effect  of 
man's  free  will,  and  condemnation  is  an  effect  of  justice 
inflicted  upon  man  for  sin  and  disobedience.  A  man  in 
this  life  may  be  sure  of  his  election.  2  Pet.  i.  10. 
1  Thess.  i.  4.  Yea,  of  his  eternal  happiness,  but  not  of 
his  eternal  reprobation ;  for  he  that  is  now  profane  may 
be  called  hereafter."  ^^ 

This  faith,  which  was  also  held  by  Mr.  Williams,  moved 


1673.]  MR.    JOHN    CLARKE.  Ill 

ih£m  to  spend  their  lives  for  the  welfare  of  mankind,  and 
to  establish  the  first  government  upon  earth,  since  the  rise 
of  antichrist,  which  gave  equal  liberty,  civil  and  religious, 
to  all  men  therein.  Though  many  have  imagined  that  be- 
cause the  leaders  of  Massachusetts  professed  this  faith,  that 
it  was  inconsistent  with  the  allowance  of  equal  privileges 
to  all  mankind.  Therefore  1  thought  it  best  here  to  give 
a  view  of  the  faith  of  these  men,  who  were  persecuted 
by  Massachusetts,  because  they  thought  that  good  men 
ought  to  enforce  their  faith  with  the  sword.  But  this 
last  opinion  should  ever  bear  the  blame  of  all  the  injuries  • 
which  they  did  to  others,  and  not  the  faith  above  de-  I 
scribed. 

Mr.  Clarke  was  influenced  so  much  by  faith  and  love, 
that  through  many  changes,  and  doing  of  public  busi- 
ness, both  in  Europe  and  America,  I  have  never 
found  one  blemish  upon  his  character,  noticed  in  any 
record  or  writing  that  I  ever  saw.  In  the  last  day  of  his 
life  he  said, 

**  Whereas,  1,  John  Clarke,  of  Newport,  in  the  colony 
of  Rhodi!  Island  and  Providence  Plantations,  in  New 
England,  physician,  am  at  this  present,  through  the  abun- 
dant goodness  and  mercy  of  my  God,  though  weak  in 
body,  \c\  sound  in  my  memory  and  understanding,  and 
being  sensible  of  the  inconveniences  that  may  ensue  in 
case  I  should  not  set  my  house  in  order,  before  this  spirit 
of  mine  be  called  by  the  Lord  to  remove  out  of  this  taber- 
nacle, do  therefore  make  and  declare  this  my  last  will  and 
testament,  in  manner  following:  willingly  and  readily 
r(>siirning  up  my  soul  unto  my  merciful  Redeemer,  through 
faith  in  whose  death  I  firmly  hope  and  believe  to  escape 
from  that  second  hurting  death,  and  through  his  resurrec- 
tion and  life,  to  be  glorified  with  him  in  life  eternal. 
And  my  spirit  being  returned  out  of  this  frail  body,  in 
which  it  hath  conversed  for  about  sixty-six  years,  my  will 
is,  that  it  be  decently  interred,  without  any  vain  ostenta- 
tion, between  my  loving  wives,  Elizabeth  and  Jane,  al- 
ready deceased,  in  hopeful  expectation  that  the  same  Re- 
deemer who  hath  laid  down  a  price  both  for  my  soul  and 


112  CHURCH    HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.       [CH.  M, 

body,  will  raise  it  up  at  the  last  day  a  spiritual  one,  that 
they  may  together  be  singing  hallelujah  unto  him  to  all 
eternity."*     O  how  glorious  is  such  an  end  ! 


CHAPTER  VI. 

A  terrible  Indian  war — It  prevailed  most  in  Massachusetts — Some 
whom  they  had  employed  against  Providence  colony,  revenge  them- 
selves on  their  employers — But  the  Baptist  suflerers  now  overcame 
evil  with  good,  and  the  war  was  closed — Many  Christian  Indians 
never  joined  in  it — Two  Baptist  churches  formed  among  them,  and 
others  in  our  days — More  severities  against  the  Baptists — Their 
house  for  worship  nailed  up  in  Boston,  and  writings  against  them, 
which  they  answered — Death  of  some  of  their  ministers — The  Mas- 
sachusetts charter  vacated — Then  some  of  their  eyes  were  opened 
to  see  their  errors. 

We  are  now  come  to  the  time  when  they  had  the  most 
terrible  war  with  the  Indians  that  ever  was  known  in  this 
part  of  the  country.  And  in  it  there  appeared  a  vast  dif- 
ference between  the  Indians  who  had  been  well  treated 
before,  and  those  who  had  been  treated  injuriously.  The 
execution  of  the  great  sachem  of  the  Narragansets,  after 
he  had  been  taken  captive,  and  then  delivered  up  to  the 

*  Taken  from  his  original  will,  dated  April  20,  1676;  and  he  left 
our  world  the  same  day.  His  first  wife  was  Elizabeth  Harges,  who 
hud  an  annual  income  of  twenty  pounds  sterling  from  lands  left  her 
in  Bedfordshire.  In  a  power  of  attorney  to  recover  it,  given  May  12, 
1 6^6,  he  styled  himself  John  Clarke,  physician  of  London.  She  died 
at  Newport,  without  issue ;  and  he  married  Jane  Fletcher  in  Februa- 
ry, 1671,  by  whom  he  had  a  daughter;  but  they  both  died  in  1672. 
His  third  wife  was  the  widow  Sarah  Davis,  who  survived  him,  and  he 
gave  her  the  use  of  his  farm  in  Newport,  during  her  natural  life,  and 
then  the  income  of  it  was  to  go  to  the  poor,  and  to  support  civil  and 
religious  teaching.  It  has  produced  200  dollars  a  year,  and  it  has 
thus  been  a  public  benefit  ever  since.  His  brother,  Joseph  Clarke,  was 
sometimes  a  magistrate  in  their  government,  and  he  was  a  member  of 
the  first  church  in  Newport,  above  forty  years ;  and  his  posterity  are 
numerous  and  respectable  unto  this  day. 


1676.]  INDIAN    WAR.  113 

English,  raised  such  a  spirit  of  resentment  among  them, 
that  they  often  attempted  to  revenge  his  death.  And  such 
danger  of  their  doing  it  appeared  in  1645,  that  the  colo- 
ny raised  an  army  against  them,  when  an  instruction  to 
their  general  said,  **  You  are  to  use  your  best  endeavours 
to  gain  the  enemies'  canoes,  or  utterly  to  destroy  them  ; 
and  herein  you  may  make  good  use  of  the  Indians  our 
confederates,  as  you  may  do  upon  other  occasions,  having 
due  regard  to  the  honour  of  God,  who  is  both  our  sword 
and  shield,  and  to  the  distance  which  is  to  be  observed 
betwixt  Christians  and  barbarians,  as  well  in  wars  as  in 
other  negotiations."*  And  though  fear  of  gunpowder, 
want  of  union  among  themselves,  and  the  want  of  an  able 
leader,  suspended  the  war  for  many  years,  yet  it  now 
came  on  terribly. 

Philip,  a  son  and  successor  to  old  Massassoit,  had  been 
preparing  for  it  for  several  years  :  and  because  it  was  dis- 
covered to  the  English,  by  one  of  his  friends,  that  friend 
-was  murdered  in  Middleborough,  and  the  murderers  were 
taken  and  executed  at  Plymouth.  Upon  this  the  war 
broke  out  immediately,  and  nine  men  were  killed  in 
Swansea,  June  24^  1675,  and  the  alarm  was  given  ;  and 
an  army  both  from  Boston  and  Plymouth  met  there  in 
four  days,  and  made  their  head  quarters  at  the  house  of 
Mr.  Miles,  the  Baptist  minister  of  Swansea.  Philip  soon 
fled  from  his  station  at  Mount  Hope,  now  Bristol,  over  to 
the  east  side  of  the  great  river.  And  upon  this  the  Mas- 
sachusetts army  marched  into  the  N^rraganset  country, 
and  brought  the  Indians  there  to  promise  not  to  join  with 
Philip,  and  then  they  returned,  and  joined  with  Ply- 
mouth forces  to  fight  against  him.  But  he  soon  came 
back  over  the  river,  and  made  his  way  up  into  Worcester 
county,  where  some  English  were  killed  in  July,  as  Cap- 
tain Hutchinson  and  others  were  on  August  2,  near 
Brookfield.  Major  Willard  then  marched  up  and  relieved 
that  town,  upon  which  the  Indians  went  further  westward, 
and  burned  most  of  the  houses  in  Deerfield,  September  1 , 
and  Northfield  a  few  days  after,  when  one  captain  and 

*  Hutchinson's  Collecrions,  p.  161. 
10* 


114  CHURCH    HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.        [CH.  VI. 

about  twenty  raen  were  slain.  And  on  September  18,  as 
Captain  Lothrop  went  with  his  company  to  guard  some 
teams,  in  bringing  off  grain  from  Deerfield,  they  were 
surprised  by  the  Indians,  who  slew  him  and  more  than 
seventy  of  his  men.  Deerfield  was  then  deserted,  and 
thirty  houses  were  burned  in  Springfield,  and  some  men 
slain  there.  On  October  19,  Hatfield  was  assaulted  by 
many  Indians,  but  they  were  bravely  repulsed,  and  many 
of  them  retired  into  Narraganset. 

Upon  a  small  tract  of  upland,  within  a  large  swamp  in 
that  country,  they  had  built  and  stored  the  strongest  fort 
that  they  ever  had  in  these  parts.  Therefore  the  colonies 
raised  an  army  of  a  thousand  men,  under  General  Win- 
slow,  and  destroyed  it  on  December  19,  with  great  stores 
of  provision,  and  many  hundreds  of  the  enemy  ;  but  with 
the  loss  of  six  English  captains,  and  one  hundred  and 
seventy,  some  said  two  hundred  and  ten  men  killed  or 
M^ounded.  A  terrible  storm  of  snow  made  the  case  much 
more  distressing.  And  as  much  provision  was  destroyed 
in  that  fort,  the  Indians  were  greatly  distressed,  and 
many  perished;  but  a  great  thaw  in  January,  1676,  en- 
abled them  to  get  some  food  out  of  the  ground,  and  they 
again  went  up  northward,  and  burned  the  deserted  houses 
in  Mendon,  and  made  an  onset  upon  Lancaster,  February 
10,  burning  their  houses,  and  killed  or  captivated  forty 
persons,  of  whom  Mrs.  Rowlandson,  wife  to  the  minister, 
was  one,  who  published  an  account  of  her  captivity. 
Similar  mischiefs  were  done  at  Groton,  Malborough,  Sud- 
bUry,  and  Chelmsford  ;  and  on  February  21,  they  came 
down  upon  MedfieldJ  but  twenty  miles  from  Boston,  and 
burned  many  houses,  and  killed  eighteen  men.  •  On  the 
25th  they  did  damage  at  Weymouth,  still  nearer  to  Bos- 
ton. On  March  12,  they  took  Clarke's  garrison  in  Ply- 
mouth, killing  several  persons  ;  and  on  the  next  day  they 
burned  all  Groton  to  the  ground,  so  that  the  place  was  de- 
serted for  some  time.  In  the  same  month  they  burned 
many  houses  in  Warwick,  Providence,  and  Rehoboth. 
And  on  March  26,  near  Patucket  river.  Captain  Pierce 
engaged  with  a  body  of  Indians,  who  proved  to  be  more 
than  he  expected,  when  he  and  near  sixty  of  his  men 


1676.]  INDIAN    WAR.  115 

were  cut  off,  though  it  was  said  they  slew  one  hundred 
and  forty  Indians.  And  the  western  part  of  Massachusetts 
was  now  in  great  distress,  so  that  new  forces  were  raised 
to  help  them. 

William  Turner,  and  other  Baptists,  who  had  suffered 
from  the  rulers  of  the  government,  were  as  ready  to  lend 
a  helping  hand  against  the  common  enemy,  as  any  among 
them.  He  had  offered  his  service  in  the  beginning  of  the 
war,  but  it  was  not  then  accepted ;  but  now  he  was  called 
forth,  and  made  captain  of  a  company,  and  his  brother 
Drinker  lieutenant,  and  the  company  were  mainly  Bap- 
tists, who  marched  up  in  the  beginning  of  this  month, 
with  others,  and  drove  off  the  enemy  from  Northampton, 
March  14.  Many  of  the  enemy  then  came  down  the 
country  again,  and  did  much  mischief,  as  before  described ; 
and  they  also  killed  Captain  Wadsworth  and  about  thirty 
of  his  men  at  Sudbury,  April  18.  Most  of  the  western 
forces  were  now  come  down  the  country,  and  Captain 
Turner  was  left  the  chief  commander  above. 

Upon  this  the  enemy  felt  more  secure,  and  seven  or 
eight  hundred  of  them  resorted  to  the  great  falls  above 
Deerfield  upon  the  fishing  design.  Two  captive  lads 
made  their  escape,  and  informed  how  secure  the  Indians 
were,  upon  which  Captain  Turner  and  Captain  Holyoke 
collected  about  one  hundred  and  seventy  men,  and  went 
up  silently  in  the  night,  and  tied  their  horses  at  some  dis- 
tance, and  a  litde  before  break  of  day.  May  18,  came  upon 
them  unawares,  *'  fired  into  their  very  wigwams,  killing 
many  upon  the  place,  and  frightening  others  with  the 
sudden  alarm  of  their  guns,  made  them  run  into  the  river, 
where  the  swiftness  of  the  stream  carried  them  down  a 
steep  fall,  and  they  perished  in  the  waters ;  some,  getting 
into  canoes,  were  sunk  or  overset  by  the  shooting  of  our 
men ;  others,  creeping  under  the  bank  of  the  river,  were 
espied  by  our  men  and  killed  with  their  swords.  Some 
of  their  prisoners  owned  afterwards  that  they  lost  above 
three  hundred  men,  some  of  them  their  best  fighting  men 
that  were  left.  Nor  did  they  seem  ever  to  recover  them- 
selves after  this  defeat,  but  their  ruin  followed  dil-ectly 
upon  it."     When  thpy  were  first  fired  upon,  they  cried 


116  CHURCH    HISTORY  OF    NEW  ENGLAND.      [CH.  VI. 

out,  Mohawks !  but  when  they  discovered  their  mistake  in 
the  morning,  they  rallied  their  forces,  and  Captain  Tur- 
ner being  unwell,  and  not  able  to  guide  their  retreat  so 
agreeably,  thirty-eight  men  fell,  of  whom  he  was  one, 
who  was  afterwards  found  and  buried.*  AH  the  rest  of 
the  Baptists  were  spared  and  returned. 

Captain  Benjamin  Church  of  Duxborough,  in  Ply- 
mouth colony,  carried  his  family  on  to  Rhode  Island  in 
the  beginning  of  the  war,  and  he  was  very  serviceable 
therein.  And  as  he  knew  that  the  Sokonet  Indians  were 
forced  into  the  war  by  Philip,  he  ventured  over  among 
them  in  June,  1676,  and  gained  them  over  to  the  English 
to  fight  against  Philip,  and  they  were  very  successful 
from  day  to  day,  until  they  killed  him  at  Mount  Hope, 
August  12,  1676,  after  which  peace  was  soon  restored  in 
these  parts. t 

This  summary  of  that  cruel  war  is  collected  from  a 
variety  of  histories  and  accounts.  Connecticut  forces 
were  very  helpful  in  the  war,  and  they  lost  three  captains 
at  the  Narraganset  fort :  namely,  Gallop,  Seily,  and  Mar- 
shal, and  a  number  of  their  men  ;  but  they  had  scarce  any 
damage  done  in  any  of  their  towns,  while  they  and  the 
Mohegan  Indians  did  great  exploits  in  the  war.  It  began 
in  Plymouth  colony,  where  a  few  men  were  killed,  and 
Captain  Pierce  was  of  their  colony.  But  Massachusetts 
lost  eight  captains,  viz.:  Hutchinson,  Beers,  Lothrop, 
Devenport,  Gardner,  Johnson,  Wads  worth,  and  Turner, 
and  a  great  many  men.  And  the  towns  of  Northfield, 
Deerfield,  Brookfield,  Mendon,  Lancaster,  and  Groton, 
were  all  broken  up  for  some  years ;  and  they  lost  a  vast 
deal  of  property. 

Mr.  John  Eliot  of  Roxbury,  had  begun  to  teach  Chris- 
tianity to  some  Indians  about  1646,  and  Mr.  Winslow, 
their  agent  in  England,  obtained  a  charter  from  the  Par- 
liament in  1649,  to  incorporate  a  society  to  promote  that 
work ;  and  Eliot  learned  the  Indian  language,  and  trans- 
lated the  Bible  into  it,  which  passed  one  edition  in  1664, 

•  Hubbard's  History,  p.  1 57—1 61. 

f  Pumham,  before  spoken  of,  was  killed  a  few  days  before  Philip. 


1676.]  CHRISTIAN    INDIANS.  117 

and  another  in  1684,  with  some  other  books.  Mr.  Daniel 
Gookin,  a  magistrate  and  a  major-general  in  their  go- 
vernment, was  also  his  helper  in  the  affair ;  and  they  had 
formed  twelve  praying  societies  among  the  Indians  be- 
fore this  war,  some  of  them  as  high  up  the  country  as 
Dudley  and  Woodstock ;  but  they  were  all  scattered  in 
the  war,  and  many  of  their  praying  Indians  became  bloody 
enemies,  and  were  slain  in  the  war,  or  hanged  after  it  at 
Boston.  Those  that  remained  were  afterwards  collected 
by  Mr.  Eliot  into  four  societies  ;  but  they  are  all  dissolved 
since. 

But  the  Indians  on  Cape  Cod,  and  on  the  islands  south 
of  it,  scarce  any  of  them  ever  joined  in  the  war  against 
the  English.  They  had  not  only  been  treated  in  a 
friendly  manner,  but  much  pains  had  also  been  taken  to 
teach  them  Christianity.  Mr.  Richard  Bourn  engaged  in 
that  work  as  early  as  1658,  and  in  1670  he  was  ordained 
the  pastor  of  a  church  among  them,  by  the  assistance  of 
Mr.  Eliot  and  others.  And  in  1674,  he  wrote  to  Major 
Gookin,  that  upon  and  near  the  Cape  there  were  seven 
praying  societies;  among  the  Indians,  of  whom  an  hun- 
dred and  forty  could  read,  and  some  of  them  could  write. 
Marshpee,  between  Sandwich  and  Barnstable,  was  the 
greatest  seat  of  them ;  and  a  religious  society  has  con- 
tinued there  ever  since,  and  a  Baptist  church  was  formed 
and  organized  among  them  in  1797. 

Mr.  Thomas  Mayhew  obtained  a  grant  of  Martha's 
Vineyard,  and  went  to  live  there  in  1642,  where  he  was 
the  chief  ruler  of  the  English  inhabitants,  and  his  son 
Thomas  was  their  minister.  And  about  1646  he  began 
to  preach  to  the  Indians  on  the  island ;  and  to  promote 
the  cause,  his  father  informed  them,  that  by  an  order  from 
the  crown  of  England  he  was  to  govern  the  English  who 
should  inhabit  there  ;  that  his  royal  master  had  power  far 
above  the  Indian  monarchs,  but  that  as  he  was  great  and 
powerful,  so  he  was  a  lover  of  justice,  and  would  not  in- 
vade their  jurisdiction,  but  would  assist  them  if  need  re- 
quired ;  that  religion  and  government  were  two  distinct 
things,  and  their  sachems  might  retain  their  just  authority, 
though  their  subjects  became  Christians.     And  he  prac- 


118  CHURCH    HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.       [CH.  VI 

tised  accordingly,  and  would  not  suffer  any  to  injure  them, 
either  in  goods  or  lands.  They  always  found  a  father 
and  protector  in  him  ;  and  he  was  so  far  from  introducing 
any  form  of  government  among  them  against  their  wills, 
that  he  first  convinced  them  of  the  advantage  of  it,  and 
even  brought  them  to  desire  him  to  introduce  and  setde  it. 
And  a  Christian  church  was  formed  among  them  in  1659, 
in  which  four  officers  were  ordained  in  1670,  by  Mr. 
Eliot  and  others.  And  they  had  soon  two  churches  on 
the  Vineyard,  and  one  on  Nantucket.  Old  Mr.  Mayhew 
said  in  1674,  "There  are  ten  Indian  preachers,  of  good 
knowledge  and  holy  conversation  ;  seven  jurisdictions, 
and  six  meetings  every  Lord's  day."  So  many  were  on 
the  Vineyard,  besides  a  church  at  Nantucket. 

And  when  the  war  came  on  the  next  year,  the  Chris- 
tian Indians  were  furnished  with  arms  and  ammunition  to 
defend  the  islands  against  the  enemy  ;  and  they  were  so 
faithful  therein,  that  when  any  landed  to  solicit  them  to 
join  in  the  war,  though  some  were  related  by  blood  and 
others  by  marriage,  yet  the  islanders  directly  brought  them 
before  the  governor  to  attend  his  pleasure.  And  by  a  Ci- 
vine  blessing  on  these  means,  though  the  Indians  on  the 
island  were  twenty  to  one  of  the  English,  yet  they  lived 
in  peace  and  security  through  all  that  dreadful  war  on  the 
main  land.  Young  Mr.  Mayhew  had  sailed  for  England, 
in  1657,  and  was  lost  at  sea,  but  he  left  Peter  Folger,  a 
schoolmaster,  among  the  Indians ;  and  he  removed  to 
Nantucket  about  four  years  after,  and  taught  them  there. 
He  became  a  Baptist,  and  there  was  a  Baptist  church 
formed  among  the  Indians  on  the  Vineyard,  and  another 
at  Nantucket,  by  1 69.3.*  That  on  the  Vineyard  continues 
to  this  day,  but  the  Indians  are  nearly  all  dead  on  Nan- 
tucket. Peter  Folger  was  grandfather  to  the  famous  Dr. 
Benjamin  Franklin. 

Ninagret,  sachem  of  the  south  part  of  the  Narragansets, 
did  not  join  in  that  war,  and  their  successors  have  con- 
tinued there  in  Charlestown ;  and  in  and  after  1741,  many 

*  Magnalia,  b.  6,  p.  56.  Appendix  to  Mayhew's  Indian  Converts, 
p.  291—296.  Historical  Society,  vol.  i.  p.  1*68—207.  vol.  iii.  p.  189, 
190. 


1677.]  BAPTISTS    STILL    OPPRESSED.  119 

of  them  were  hopefully  converted,  and  a  Baptist  church 
was  formed  among  them,  which  still  remains,  though 
many  of  them  have  removed  up  to  the  Oneida  country. 
Also  in  1741,  many  of  the  Mohegans  were  happily 
changed,  of  whom  Samsom  Occum  was  one ;  but  many 
of  them  have  removed  also  to  said  Oneida  country. 

As  ministers  and  rulers  were  still  earnest  to  keep  up  the 
pawer  of  the  church  over  the  world,  so  they  could  not  do 
it  without  oppressing  the  Baptists,  who  increased  conside- 
rably. Hence  their  law  to  banish  them  was  reprinted  in 
1672;  and  they  were  often  fined  or  imprisoned.  Mr. 
William  Hubbard,  who  preached  their  election  sermon  at 
Boston,  May  3,  1676,  said,  **  It  is  made,  by  learned  and 
judicious  writers,  one  of  the  undoubted  rights  of  sove- 
reignty to  determine  what  religion  shall  be  publicly  pro- 
fessed and  exercised  within  their  dominions.  Why  else 
do  we  in  New  England,  that  profess  the  doctrine  of  Cal- 
vin, yet  practise  the  discipline  of  them  called  Independent 
or  Congregational  churches,  but  because  the  authority  of 
the  country  is  persuaded  that  is  most  agreeable  to  the  mind 
of  God  ?"*  But  why  did  they  and  their  fathers  dissent 
from  the  church  of  England  ?  In  a  dedication  of  his  ser- 
mon to  their  rulers,  he  said,  **  If  he  was  not  mistaken 
who  said,  it  is  morally  impossible  to  rivet  the  Christian 
religion  into  the  body  of  a  nation  without  infant  baptism, 
by  proportion  it  will  necessarily  follow,  that  the  neglect 
or  disuse  thereof  will  directly  tend  to  root  it  out."  But 
this  was  spoken  with  a  view  that  good  men  should  ever 
have  the  government  in  their  hands. 

Hence,  when  Dr.  Increase  Mather  preached  their  elec- 
tion sermon.  May  23,  1677,  he  referred  to  Mr.  Cotton, 
who  said,  '*  The  Lord  keep  us  from  being  bewitched  with 
the  whore's  cup,  lest,  whilst  we  seem  to  detest  and  reject 
her  with  open  face  of  profession,  we  do  not  bring  her  in 
by  the  back  door  of  toleration."!  And  Mather  said,  **  I  be- 
lieve that  antichrist  hath  not  at  this  day  a  more  probable 
way  to  advance  his  kingdom  of  darkness,  than  by  a  tolera- 
tion of  all  religions  and  persuasions. "J     This  he  reprinted 

•  Said  Sermon,  p  35.  \  Tenet  washed,  p.  192. 

t  His  Sermons,  p.  106. 


12@  CHURCH    HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.       [oH.  VI. 

with  other  sermons,  in  1685,  after  their  charter  was  taken 
away.  But  he  suffered  so  much  directly  after,  that  he 
and  others  got  such  a  toleration  established  in  Boston  in 
1693,  though  they  could  not  get  it  extended  through  the 
country.  For  fifty  years  before  they  lost  their  charter, 
no  man  had  a  vote  for  their  ministers  or  rulers,  but  com- 
municants in  their  churches  ;  but  under  their  second  char- 
ter, the  wicked  had  as  much  power  in  their  government 
as  the  righteous,  which  discovered  the  necessity  of  a  tole- 
ration ;  though  their  present  views  were  such  as  prevent- 
ed their  seeing  it. 

In  September,  1679,  Mather  was  scribe  of  a  synod 
that  was  called  to  give  their  opinion  about  what  were  the 
causes  of  the  judgments  of  God  upon  the  land;  and  in 
their  result  they  said,  "  Men  have  set  up  their  thresholds 
by  God's  thresholds,  and  their  posts  by  his  posts.  Qua- 
kers are  false  worshippers,  and  such  Anabaptists  as  have 
risen  up  amongst  us,  in  opposition  to  the  churches  of  the 
Lord  Jesus,  receiving  into  their  society  those  who  have 
been  for  scandal  delivered  unto  Satan ;  yea,  and  improv- 
ing those  as  administrators  of  holy  things,  who  have  been 
(as  doth  appear)  justly  under  censure,  do  no  better  than 
set  up  altars  against  the  Lord's  altar."  And  their  result 
was  approved  by  their  general  court.* 

Upon  the  coming  out  of  this,  from  the  highest  authori- 
ty in  the  country,  the  Baptists  carefully  reviewed  their 
past  conduct,  and  they  found  that  four  men  who  were 
censured  by  Congregational  churches,  before  they  re- 
ceived them  into  their  church,  and  one  of  them  was  of 
Dr.  Mather's  church,  which  served  to  raise  his  resentment. 
They  therefore  sent  and  obtained  copies  of  their  dealings 
with  him,  which  discovered  that  the  member  got  angry 
when  the  church  was  dealing  with  him,  and  spake  and 
acted  in  a  wrong  manner.  Upon  which  the  Baptists 
obliged  him  to  offer  satisfaction  to  that  church,  which  he 
did  both  by  word  and  by  writing ;  but  as  his  principles 
were  inconsistent  with  a  returning  into  their  communion, 
they  would  not  revoke  their  censure.t 

^  Magnalia,  b.  v.  p.  87-- 89. 

f  Russefs  Narrative,  p.  8.     Willard's  answer,  p.  21. 


1679.]  LETTER    FROM    THE    KING.  121 

This  Baptist  church  had  increased  so  much,  that  in 
February,  1677,  they  concluded  to  divide  into  two  church- 
es ;  but  in  January,  1678,  they  agreed  to  build  them  a 
meeting-house  in  Boston,  and  not  to  divide  till  they  could 
get  a  minister  settled  there.  Mr.  Miles  of  Swansea  had 
often  preached  to  them,  and  they  requested  him  to  become 
their  pastor,  and  for  Mr.  John  Russell  to  supply  his  place 
in  Swansea.  But  he  returned  home,  and  Mr.  Russell 
was  ordained  in  Boston,  July  28, 1679.  They  built  their 
house  for  worship  so  cautiously,  as  not  to  let  others  know 
what  it  was  designed  for,  until  they  met  in  it,  February 
15,  1679.  But  in  May  following,  a  law  was  made  to 
take  it  from  them,  if  they  continued  to  meet  in  it ;  there- 
fore they  refrained  from  it  for  a  while.  News  of  that 
law  was  sent  to  England,  from  whence  the  king  wrote  tcv 
the  rulers  here,  July  24,  1679,  and  said,  "  We  shall 
henceforth  expect  that  there  shall  be  suitable  obedience 
in  respect  of  freedom  and  liberty  of  conscience,  so  as 
those  that  desire  to  serve  God  in  the  way  of  the  church 
of  England,  be  not  thereby  made  obnoxious  or  discounte- 
nanced from  sharing  in  the  government,  much  less  that 
any  other  of  our  good  subjects  (not  being  Papists)  who  do 
not  agree  in  the  Congregational  way,  be  by  law  subjected 
to  fines  or  forfeitures,  or  other  incapacities,  for  the  samo  ; 
which  is  a  severity  the  more  to  be  wondered  at,  whereis 

liberty  of  conscience  was  made  one  principal  motive  for 

your  first  transportation  into  those  parts."*  1 

Some  friends  in  London  informed  the  Baptists  of  this,  I ' 
upon  which  they  met  in  their  house  again,  but  their  chief 
leaders  were  brought  before  the  court  of  Assistants  for  it, 
in  March,  1680;  and  because  they  would  not  promise  not 
to  meet  there  again,  the  court  sent  an  officer,  who  nailed 
up  the  doors  of  the  house,  and  forbid  their  meeting  there 
any  more  upon  their  peril,  without  leave  from  court.  Not 
long  after  the  house  was  opened  by  an  unknown  hand, 
and  they  met  there  till  May,  when  the  Baptists  were  con- 
vented  before  the  general  court  of  Boston,  and  pleaded 
that  their  house  was  built  when  there  was  no  law  against 

*  Hutchinson's  Collections,  p.  520. 
11 


122  CHURCH    HISTORY    ON    NEW    ENGLAND.       [cH.  VI. 

it,  and  the  king  had  now  written  in  their  favour.  But  the 
court  only  forgave  what  was  past,  and  forbid  their  meet- 
ing there  any  more.  In  the  March  before,  Dr.  Increas^ 
Mather  published  a  pamphlet  against  the  Baptists  in 
general,  and  against  those  in  Boston  in  particular.  And 
in  May  Mr.  Russell  wrote  an  answer  to  what  he  had  said 
against  their  character,  and  it  was  printed  in  London  the 
same  year,  with  a  preface  signed  by  William  Kiffen, 
Hansard  Knollys,  Daniel  Dyke,  William  Collins,  John 
Harris,  and  Nehemiah  Coxe,  noted  Baptist  ministers. 
And  they  said  therein,  *'  It  seems  most  strange  that  our 
Congregational  brethren  in  New  England,  who  with 
liberal  estates,  chose  rather  to  depart  from  their  native 
soil  into  a  wilderness,  than  to  be  under  the  lash  of  those 
who  upon  religious  pretences  took  delight  to  smite  their 
fellow-servants,  should  exercise  towards  others  the  like 
severity  that  themselves  with  so  great  hazard  and  hard- 
ship sought  to  avoid ;  especially  considering  that  it  is 
against  their  brethren,  who  profess  and  appeal  to  the 
same  rule  with  themselves  for  their  guidance  in  the  wor- 
ship of  God,  and  the  ordering  their  whole  conversation." 
And  they  observed  that  persecutors  in  England  then  tried 
to  justify  themselves  by  these  severities  in  America. 

In  1681,  Mr.  Willard,  of  Boston,  wrote  an  answer  to 
Russell,  and  Dr.  Mather  wrote  a  preface  to  it,  in  which 
he  said,  **  I  would  entreat  the  brethren  who  have  sub- 
scribed the  epistle  to  consider  that  the  place  may  some- 
times make  a  great  alteration  as  to  indulgence  to  be  ex- 
pected. It  is  evident  that  such  toleration  is  not  only  law- 
ful in  one  place,  but  a  necessary  duty,  which  would  be 
destructive  in  another  place.  That  which  is  needful  to 
ballast  a  great  ship,  will  sink  a  small  boat.  From  whence 
we  may  learn,  that  it  was  their  weakness  and  not  their 
strength,  which  caused  them  to  be  so  hard  with  their 
Baptist  brethren.  For  the  extending  of  baptism  to  infants 
in  a  state  of  nature,  and  supporting  their  worship  by 
force,  in  the  name  of  their  king,  who  forbid  it,  was  in- 
deed weak  business. 

Mr.  John  Russell,  pastor  of  the  Baptist  church  in  Bos- 
ton, died  there  December  21,  1680,  much  lamented,  and 


I 


1683.]  ROGER    WILLIAMS    DIES.  123 

his  posterity  are  respectable  among  us  to  this  day.  Elder 
Isaac  Hull  was  still  living,  but  he  was  aged  and  infirm. 
Therefore  the  church  wrote  to  London,  June  27,  1681, 
and  said,  **  We  conceive  that  there  is  a  prospect  of  good 
encouragement  for  an  able  minister  to  come  over ;  in  that 
there  seems  to  be  an  apparent  and  general  apostasy  among 
the  churches  who  have  professed  themselves  Congrega- 
tional in  this  land  ;  whereby  many  have  their  eyes  open- 
ed, by  seeing  the  declensions  and  confusion  that  is  among 
them."  To  this  they  received  a  kind  answer,  dated  Oc- 
tober 13,  1681,  signed  by  William  Kiffen,  Hansard 
Knollys,  Daniel  Dyke,  William  Collins,  Nehemiah 
C/oxe,  Edward  Williams,  William  Dix,  Robert  Snelling, 
Tobias  Russell,  Maurice  King,  and  John  Skinner.  And 
on  July  20,  1684,  they  received  John  Emblen  from 
England,  who  became  their  pastor  for  about  fifteen  years, 
until  his  death. 

Elder  Thomas  Olney  was  pastor  of  the  Baptist  church 
in  Providence,  for  above  forty  years,  till  he  died  in  1682, 
leaving  a  good  character,  and  his  posterity  are  numerous 
to  this  dnv.  Obadiah  Holmes  was  pastor  of  the  first 
church  iij  Newport,  from  soon  after  Mr.  Clarke's  death, 
until  h^^  died,  October,  15,  1682,  aged  76,  and  his  pos- 
terity i::('  now  large,  in  New  England  and  New  Jersey. 

By  cissistance  from  Boston,  a  Baptist  church  was 
formed  at  Kittery,  in  the  province  of  Maine,  in  Septem- 
ber, 1682,  when  William  Scraven  was  ordained  then* 
pastor;  but  cruel  persecution  soon  scattered  them,  some 
to  South  Carolina,  some  to  New  Jersey,  and  some  to 
Boston  again,  where  they  were  useful  afterwards.  Mr. 
Miles  of  Swansea  died  there  in  a  good  old  age,  February 
3,  1683;  and  Mr.  Samuel  Luther  succeeded  him  in  his 
office  for  more  than  thirty  years.  In  April,  the  same 
year,  Mr.  Roger  Williams  was  taken  to  rest,  and  he  hath 
a  large  posterity  among  us  to  this  day.  He  was  ho- 
noured of  God  to  be  instrumental  of  founding  the  first 
civil  government  upon  earth,  since  the  rise  of  antichrist, 
that  allowed  equal  religious  liberty,  and  he  was  service- 
able therein  unto  the  age  of  eiglUy-four.  And  for  godly 
sincerity  in   public  actings,   and    overcoming  evil  with 


124  CHURCH     HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.      [CH     VI. 

good,  it  is  believed  no  man  on  earth   exceeded  him  in 
that  age. 

A  dreadful  storm  came  upon  this  country  the  year  af-" 
ter ;  for  the  charter  of  Massachusetts  was  vacated  in 
1684,  and  amazing  confusions  followed  it.  Their  go- 
vernment of  the  church  over  the  world,  which  had  been 
upheld  for  fifty  years,  with  a  vast  deal  of  labour  to  them- 
selves, and  oppression  upon  others,  was  now  dissolved ; 
and  the  measures  which  they  had  meted  to  others  were 
meted  to  them  with  a  vengeance.  Sir  Edmond  Andros, 
with  his  council  in  1686,  made  laws  and  imposed  taxes 
upon  all  without  any  house  of  representatives ;  and  they 
declared  that  as  their  charter  was  forfeited,  their  lands  be- 
longed to  the  king,  and  each  man  must  come  and  buy 
new  titles  from  them,  or  be  turned  off  from  their  lands, 
which  should  be  disposed  of  to  others.  And  as  the  offi- 
cers of  the  town  of  Ipswich  refused  to  assess  a  tax,  which 
was  imposed  without  a  house  of  representatives,  and  Mr. 
Wise  their  minister  justified  them  in  it,  he  and  those 
officers  were  brought  before  the  court  at  Boston,  where 
they  pleaded  Magna  Charta,  and  the  laws  of  England,  in 
their  justification.  But  one  of  the  judges  said,  '*  Yon 
must  not  think  that  the  laws  of  England  will  follow  you 
to  the  ends  of  the  earth.  Mr.  Wise,  you  have  no  more 
privilege  left  you,  than  not  to  be  sold  for  slaves ;"  and 
no  man  of  the  council  contradicted  it.  And  one  of  them 
also  said,  **  It  is  a  fundamental  point,  consented  to  by  all 
Christian  nations,  that  the  first  discoverer  of  a  country 
inhabited  by  infidels  gives  right  and  dominion  of  that 
country  to  the  prince  in  whose  service  the  discoverers 
were  sent."  But  Massachusetts  replied  and  said,  **  This 
is  not  a  Christian,  but  an  unchristian  principle."*  Yes  ; 
and  it  was  as  much  so  when  Mr.  Williams  was  banished! 
for  testifying  against  this  and  other  evils.  j 

Mr.  Bradstreet  was  active  in  banishing  Mr.  Williams, 
and  he  now  felt  much  of  these  calamities,  when  the 
government  was  dissolved  of  which  he  was  at  the  head 
Dr.  Mather,  also,  who  had  done  much  against  the  Bap- 


The  Revolution  in  New  England  vindicated,  p.  16.  44. 


1686.]  ANDROS'    OPPRESSIVE    GOVERNMENT.  125 

tists,  was  now  cruelly  persecuted  by  evil  men;  one  of 
whom  forged  a  letter  in  his  name,  which  was  shown  to 
the  king  and  council  in  England,  and  exposed  him  to  re- 
proach and  sufferings  there.  And  because  he  wrote  to  a 
friend  that  he  thought  one  of  their  oppressors  here  forged 
said  letter,  he  was  prosecuted  for  defamation  on  that  ac- 
count, and  though  he  was  acquitted  upon  trial,  yet  they 
attempted  to  take  him  up  again  for  it.  The  supporting 
of  ministers  in  the  country  was  interrupted,  and  Episco- 
pal worship  was  forcibly  carried  into  one  of  the  meeting- 
houses in  Boston.  These  things  were  so  distressing, 
that  when  they  heard  that  King  James  had  published  a 
declaration  for  liberty  of  conscience,  in  1687,  the  minis- 
ters of  Boston  proposed  with  their  people  to  keep  a  day 
of  thanksgiving  for  it ;  but  Andros  said  if  they  did,  he 
would  clap  a  guard  of  soldiers  at  the  doors  of  their  meet- 
ing-houses, and  so  prevented  it.  Upon  these  multiplied 
troubles,  they  concluded  to  send  Dr.  Mather  their  agent 
to  England ;  but  their  enemies  tried  to  hinder  it,  and  he 
privately  got  away,  and  sailed  to  England  in  the  spring 
of  1688,  and  thanked  the  popish  King  James  for  his  de- 
claration for  liberty  of  conscience  to  all. 

So  great  a  turn  was  given  to  his  mind,  that  he  then 
concluded  that  the  parable  of  the  tares  of  the  field  required 
a  general  toleration  about  religion ;  and  he  said,  **  For 
an  uppermost  party  of  Christians  to  punish  men  in  their 
temporal  enjoyments,  because  in  some  religious  opinions 
they  dissent  from  them,  or  with  an  exclusion  from  the 
temporal  enjoyments,  which  would  justly  belong  unto 
them,  is  a  robbery."*  All  his  life  afterwards  was  agree- 
able to  this  belief,  though  many  ministers  in  our  country 
have  been  guilty  of  such  robbery  ever  since.  One  reli- 
gious sect  have  held  a  power  to  take  away  the  property 
of  the  people  for  ministers,  to  the  constant  injury  of  dis- 
senters from  them. 

Dr.  Mather  had  several  interviews  with  King  James, 
till  he  found  him  to  be  so  deceitful,  that  he  refrained  from 
any  more  concern  with  him,  and  waited  for  William  to 

*  His  Life,  p.  59. 
11* 


126  CHimCH    HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.     [CH.  VII. 

come  to  the  throne.  But  Andros  was  so  much  afraid  of 
it,  that  he  imprisoned  the  man  who  first  brought  his  pro- 
clamation to  Boston  ;  though  this  alarmed  tlie  country  so 
much,  that  the  people  flocked  in  by  thousands,  April  18, 
1689,  and  confined  Andros  and  his  party,  until  they  were 
sent  to  England  by  an  order  from  thence  ;  and  the  former 
rulers  here  were  restored  to  their  places,  and  managed 
the  government  till  the  new  charter  arrived. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

The  world  governs  the  church — But  Boston  is  exempted  from  it — 
Plymouth  colony  was  so  at  first — Great  declensions  are  lamented 
— But  they  increase — Episcopal  society  constituted — They  try  for 
an  establishment  here — Ministers  try  for  a  lordly  power — They 
obtain  it  in  Connecticut — Hooker  was  against  it — Norwich  and 
Windsor  reject  it ;  and  Wise,  Moody,  and  Mather  also—But  Stod- 
dard was  not  so — The  Baptists  are  favoured  at  Boston — Hollis  ia 
liberal  to  Cambridge  college. 

The  new  charter  for  Massachusetts  contained  many! 
privileges,  though  it  took  away  some  which  they  had  be- 
fore. It  was  dated  October  7,  1691,  and  reserved  a 
power  in  the  crown  always  to  appoint  the  two  chief  offi- 
cers of  government ;  and  no  law  could  be  made  without 
the  consent  of  the  governor,  and  when  that  was  obtained, 
the  king  in  council  could  disannul  any  law,  within  three 
years  after  it  was  made.  William  intended  by  this  to 
prevent  their  making  any  more  persecuting  laws,  and  it 
had  that  effect  fifty  years  after,  when  Connecticut  impri- 
soned men  for  preaching  the  gospel,  but  Massachusetts 
could  not  do  so.  Yet  other  evils  were  not  prevented ; 
and  taxing  of  our  trade,  and  being  under  kingly  governors, 
finally  separated  these  colonies  from  Britain.  Plymouth 
colony,  on  the  one  hand,  and  the  province  of  Maine  on  the^ 
other,  were  now  united  with  Massachusetts. 

When  the  new  charter  arrived.  May  14,  1692,  the 


1693.]  EXECUTIONS    FOR   WITCHCRAFT.  127 

country  was  so  involved  in  confusion  about  witchcraft, 
that  twenty  persons  were  executed  on  that  account,  in 
about  four  months.  And  when  their  general  court  met, 
on  October  12,  they  made  laws  to  compel  every  town  to 
have  and  support  an  orthodox  minister,  and  to  empower 
their  county  courts  to  punish  every  town  who  neglected 
it.  The  whole  power  of  choosing,  and  of  supporting  re- 
ligious ministers  was  put  into  the  hands  of  the  voters  in 
each  town,  who  acted  therein  without  any  religious 
qualification  in  themselves.  Formerly  the  church  had 
governed  the  world,  but  now  the  world  was  to  govern  the 
church,  about  religious  ministers.  Our  Lord  says,  **  Ex- 
cept a  man  be  born  again,  he  cannot  see  the  kingdom  of 
God."  John  iii.  3.  And  his  kingdom  evidently  here 
means  his  church ;  yet  no  regard  is  paid  to  his  authority, 
as  far  as  the  world  governs  m  religious  affairs. 

Therefore  Dr.  Mather,  and  other  fathers  in  Boston,  ob- 
tained an  exemption  from  these  laws,  in  February,  1693, 
which  Boston  has  enjoyed  ever  since.  But  the  country 
in  general  is  governed  by  the  world,  about  religious 
ministers,  to  this  day.*  When  that  first  law  was  made, 
they  did  not  remember  that  any  town  had  more  than  one 
church  in  it.  But  now  an  act  was  passed  to  allow  each 
church  to  elect  her  own  minister,  and  then  to  present  him 
to  the  voters  in  the  society  who  met  with  them  for 
worship ;  and  if  they  received  him,  all  that  society  must 
be  compelled  to  support  him.  If  the  selectmen  of  any 
town  neglected  to  assess  the  salary  that  was  ordered  for 
their  minister,  their  county  courts  were  to  fine  them 
forty  shillings  for  the  first  offence,  and  four  pounds  for 
the  second.  And  they  attempted  to  force  the  town  of 
Swansea  to  receive  a  Congregational  minister,  where  there 
never  had  been  any  but  Baptist  churches,  nor  ever  have 
to  this  day.     The  second  church  was  now  formed  there. 

When  they  were  under  the  government  of  Plymouth 
colony,  their  ministers  were  treated  as  regular  ministers, 

*  The  modification  of  the  Bill  of  Rights  in  so  far  altered  this  ar- 
rangement, that  the  whole  of  Massachusetts  is  now  in  the  same  situa- 
tion as  Boston  in  this  respect.  The  "  standing  order"  of  clergy  is 
now  among  "  the  things  that  t^crc."— J.  A.  W 


128  CHURCH    HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.    [CH.  VII. 

and  one  of  the  brethren  of  the  first  church  in  Swansea 
was  elected  a  magistrate  in  their  government  for  eleven 
years  together.  Neither  was  a  college  education  held  to 
be  essential  for  a  Congregational  minister  there,  as  it  was 
in  Massachusetts ;  for  Mr.  Jonathan  Dunham  was  or- 
dained the  pastor  of  the  church  at  Edgarton  in  1694;  and 
Mr.  Samuel  Fuller,  after  preaching  sixteen  years  in  Mid- 
dleborough,  was  ordained  pastor  of  a  church  that  was 
constituted  there  in  1694.  He  was  much  esteemed  as  a 
gospel  minister,  until  he  died  there,  August  24,  1695, 
aged  66.  Mr.  Isaac  Cushman  was  invited  to  succeed 
him,  but  he  chose  to  settle  at  Plymton,  where  he  before 
had  a  call;  and  he  was  ordained  there  in  1698,  where  he 
was  a  great  blessing  for  about  forty  years.  Mr.  Samuel 
Arnold  was  also  the  first  minister  in  Rochester,  where  he 
was  long  useful ;  and  neither  of  these  were  educated  at 
any  college.  And  though  Mr.  John  Cooke  was  censured 
by  Mr.  Reyner  at  Plymouth  a  little  before  he  left  that 
church,  and  robbed  them  of  their  records,  yet  Cooke  was 
a  Baptist  minister  in  Dartmouth  for  many  years,  from 
whence  spring  the  Baptist  church  in  the  east  borders  of 
Tiverton. 

The  Massachusetts  were  three  years  in  finding  out  what 
to  do  when  a  congregation  did  not  concur  with  their  church, 
m  the  choice  of  a  pastor ;  but  in  May,  1695,  they  enacted, 
that  in  such  a  case,  the  church  should  call  a  council  of 
three  or  five  churches,  and  if  they  approved  of  the  choice 
of  the  church,  the  congregation  must  submit  and  support 
him  ;  if  not,  then  the  church  must  give  up  her  choice,  and 
call  another  minister;  and  so  tliey  have  acted  ever  since. 
And  it  may  be  serviceable  to  know  what  eminent  fathers 
then  thought  about  the  state  of  religion  among  them. 

Mr.  Samuel  Torry  of  Weymouth  delivered  the  election 
sermon  at  Boston,  May  16,  1683,  when  he  said,  **  There 
is  already  a  great  death  upon  religion,  little  more  left  than 
a  name  to  live ;  the  things  which  remain  are  ready  to  die, 
and  we  are  in  great  danger  of  dying  together  with  it ;  this 
is  one  of  the  most  awakening  and  humbling  considerations 
of  our  present  state  and  condition.  O  !  the  many  deadly 
symptoms  of  death  that  are  upon  our  religion  !    Consider 


1697.]  GREAT  DECLENSIONS.  129 

we  then  how  much  it  is  dying  respecting  the  very  being 
of  it,  by  the  general  failure  of  the  work  of  conversion  ; 
whereby  only  it  is  that  religion  is  propagated,  continued, 
and  upheld  in  being  among  any  people.  As  conversion 
work  doth  cease,  so  religion  doth  die  away  ;  though  more 
insensibly,  yet  most  irrecoverably."*  And  in  1697,  Dr. 
Increase  Mather  wrote  a  dedication  of  Mitchel's  life,  in 
which  he  said,  **  Dr.  Owen  has  evinced,  that  the  letting 
go  this  principle,  that  particular  churches  ought  to  consist 
of  regenerate  persons,  brought  in  the  great  apostasy  of 
the  Christian  church.  The  way  to  prevent  the  like 
apostasy  in  these  churches,  is  to  require  an  account  of 
those  who  offer  themselves  to  communion  therein  con- 
cerning the  work  of  God  on  their  souls,  as  well  as  con- 
cerning their  knowledge  and  belief. "t  Three  years  after 
he  published  another  book,  which  he  dedicated  to  the 
churches  of  New  England,  to  whom  he  said,  '*  If  the 
begun  apostasy  should  proceed  as  fast  the  next  thirty 
years,  as  it  has  done  these  last,  surely  it  will  come  to  that 
in  New  England,  (except  the  gospel  itself  depart  with  the 
order  of  it,)  that  the  most  conscientious  people  therein  will 
think  themselves  concerned  to  gather  churches  out  of 
churches."  And  having  clearly  proved  that  Christ  has 
given  to  his  churches  the  sole  right,  each  of  electing  her 
own  pastors,  he  declares  it  to  be  "  Simonical  to  affirm 
that  this  sacred  privilege  may  be  purchased  with  money."± 
And  the  next  year  after  this  book  was  published,  it  was 
highly  recommended  by  Mr.  John  Higginson,  and  Mr. 
William  Hubbard,  the  two  oldest  ministers  in  the  govern- 
ment, as  may  be  seen  in  Wise's  works,  printed  in  1773. 
Mr.  Willard  published  a  book  in  1700,  in  which  he  says, 
"  It  hath  been  a  frequent  observation,  that  if  one  genera- 
tion begins  to  decline,  the  next  that  follows  usually  grows 
worse,  and  so  on,  until  God  pours  out  his  Spirit  again 
upon  them.  The  decays  which  we  already  languish 
under  are  sad ;  and  what  tokens  are  on  our  children,  that 


*  Said  Sermon,  p.  11. 

•j-  Said  dedication,  p.  16. 

i  Mather  on  Gospel  Order,  1700,  p.  12.  67,  68. 


130  CHURCH  HISTORY  OF   NEV    ENGLAND.     [CH.  VII. 

it  is  like  to  be  better  hereafter  ?  God  be  thanked  that 
there  are  so  many  among  them  who  promise  well ;  but, 
alas !  how  doth  vanity,  and  a  fondness  after  new  things 
abound  among  them  ?  How  do  young  professors  grow 
weary  of  the  strict  profession  of  their  fathers,  and  become 
strong  disputants  for  those  things  which  their  progenitors 
forsook  a  pleasant  land  for  the  avoidance  of!"* 

A  new  church  was  formed  in  Brattle  street,  Boston,  in 
1699,  with  a  professed  design  to  receive  communicants 
upon  lower  terms  than  their  fathers  did  ;  and  in  1700,  Mr. 
Solomon  Stoddard  of  Northampton  published  a  book  in 
London,  wherein  he  expressly  held,  that  the  Christian 
church  is  national ;  and  that  all  baptized  persons,  who  are 
not  openly  scandalous,  ought  to  come  to  the  Lord's  sup- 
per, "  though  they  know  themselves  to  be  in  a  natural 
condition."  And  by  confounding  the  work  of  Jewish  and 
Christian  officers  together,  he  asserted  that  the  power  of 
receiving,  censuring,  and  restoring  members  is  wholly  in 
officers,  and  says,  '*  The  brethren  of  the  church  are  not 
to  intermeddle  with  it."  Again  he  says,  "A  national 
synod  is  the  highest  ecclesiastical  authority  upon  earth/ ' 
Finally  he  says,  '*  Synods  have  power  to  admonish,  to 
excommunicate,  and  deliver  from  those  censures,  and 
every  man  must  stand  to  the  judgment  of  the  national 
synod.  Deut.  xvii.  12. "t  These  indeed  were  the  same 
principles,  which  our  fathers  fled  into  America  to  avoid ; 
and  this  last  text  is  the  same  which  was  brought  in  1668, 
to  justify  their  banishing  the  Baptists. 

Episcopalians  were  also  then  striving  for  power  over 
this  country.  On  June  16,  1701,  a  society  was  incor- 
porated in  England  for  that  purpose,  even  to  propagate 
what  they  called  the  gospel  in  America.  They  sent  over 
missionaries,  and  got  so  far  in  about  twelve  years,  as  to 
obtain  an  order  from  the  crown  to  bring  a  bill  into  Parlia- 
ment to  establish  Episcopacy  here,  and  they  expected  it 
would  speedily  be  done,  when  the  queen  was  suddenly 

•  Christian  History,  vol.  i.  p.  101. 

f  Stoddard  on  Instituted  Churches,  p.  12.  21.  29.  33. 


1707.]  MINISTERS   OBTAIN   CIVIL   POWER.  331 

taken  away  by  death ;  and  they  could  not  get  the  two 
succeeding  kings  to  revive  the  scheme.* 

When  the  general  court  met  at  Boston,  October  15, 
1702,  they  made  another  law  to  empower  each  county 
court,  after  fining  such  assessors  of  towns  as  did  not  obey 
their  orders,  to  appoint  others  to  do  it,  and  then  to  pro- 
cure warrants  from  two  justices  of  the  quorum,  requiring 
the  constables  of  delinquent  towns  and  districts  to  collect 
such  taxes,  upon  the  same  penalties  as  for  other  taxes ; 
and  the  fines  imposed  upon  delinquent  officers  were  to  go 
to  pay  said  new  assessors  for  their  service.  At  the  same 
time  tlie  ministers  through  the  g^overnment  were  trying 
for  a  classical  power  above  all  the  churches.  A  number 
of  ministers  signed  proposals  for  such  a  scheme,  Novem- 
ber 5,  1705,  just  one  hundred  years  after  the  gunpowder 
plot.  But  Mr.  John  Wise  wrote  a  sharp  answer  to  these 
proposals,  which  prevented  their  taking  place  here ; 
though  they  were  soon  received  in  Connecticut;  for  the 
third  Governor  Winthrop  died  there,  November  27,  1707, 
upon  which  a  special  meeting  of  their  general  court  was 
called,  December  17,  to  choose  a  new  governor.  By  a 
law  then  in  force,  he  was  to  be  chosen  out  of  a  certain 
number  of  men  in  previous  nomination ;  but  they  broke 
over  this  law,  and  elected  an  ordained  minister  for  their 
governor ;  and  he  readily  quitted  the  solemn  charge  of 
souls  for  worldly  promotion,  and  was  sworn  into  his  new 
office,  January  1,  1708,  after  which  they  repealed  the  law 
which  they  had  before  broken.  Mr.  Gurdon  Saltonstall 
was  the  governor  so  chosen  ;  and  he  took  the  proposals 
of  1705,  and  presented  them  to  their  legislature,  where 
it  was  observed  that  there  was  not  one  text  of  Scripture 
in  them.  And  as  this  would  not  do,  the  proposals  were 
silently  withdrawn  ;  and  when  they  met  at  Hartford,  May 
13,  1708,  an  act  was  passed  which  said,  "This  assembly, 
from  their  own  observation,  and  from  the  complaint  of 
others,  being  made  sensible  of  the  defects  of  the  discipline 
of  the  churches  of  this  government,  arising  from  the  want 
of  a  more  explicit  asserting  of  the  rules  given  for  that  end 

*  Chandler's  Appeal  in  1767,  p.  50—54. 


132  CHURCH    HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.    [cH.  VII 

in  the  Holy  Scriptures,  from  which  would  arise  a  firm 
establishment  amongst  ourselves,  a  good  and  regular  issue 
in  cases  subject  to  ecclesiastical  discipline,  glory  to  Christ 
our  Head*  and  edification  to  his  members,  hath  seen  fit  to 
ordain  and  require,  and  it  is  by  authority  of  the  same  or- 
dained and  required,  that  the  ministers  of  the  churches,  in 
the  several  counties  of  this  government,  shall  meet  to- 
gether at  their  respective  county  towns,  with  such  mes- 
sengers as  the  churches  to  which  they  belong  shall  see 
cause  to  send  with  them,  on  the  last  Monday  in  June 
next,  there  to  consider  and  agree  upon  those  methods  and 
rules  for  the  management  of  ecclesiastical  discipline,  which 
by  them  shall  be  judged  agreeable  and  conformable  to  the 
word  of  God  ;  and  shall  at  the  same  meeting  appoint  two 
or  more  of  their  number  to  be  their  delegates,  who  shall 
all  meet  together  at  Say  brook  at  the  next  commencement 
to  be  held  there,t  where  they  shall  compare  the  results 
of  the  ministers  of  the  several  counties,  and  out  of  and 
from  them  to  draw  a  form  of  ecclesiastical  discipline," 
which  should  be  presented  to  the  assembly  for  their  ac- 
ceptance, and  the  expense  of  those  meetings  was  to  be 
paid  out  of  their  treasury.  This  order  was  obeyed,  and  a 
scheme  of  discipline  was  drawn  up,  which  was  established 
by  law  the  next  month.     Their  second  article  says  : 

'*  That  the  churches,  which  are  neighbouring  each  to 
other,  shall  consociate  for  mutually  affording  to  each  other 
such  assistance  as  may  be  requisite  upon  all  occasions 
ecclesiastical ;"  and  they  formed  two  kinds  of  judicatures 
for  that  purpose.  The  first  are  consociations,  consisting 
of  ministers  meeting  in  their  own  persons,  and  the 
churches  by  their  messengers,  of  whom  each  church 
.  might  send  one  or  two,  though  the  want  of  them  should 
not  invalidate  the  acts  of  the  council ;  but  none  of  their 
acts  were  valid  without  the  concurrence  of  the  majority 
of  the  pastors  present.  They  were  to  be  the  standing 
council  in  each  circuit ;  though  in  cases  of  special  difii- 
culty  they  may  call  the  next  consociation  to  sit  and  act 
with  them.     They  are  to  have  one  or  more  consociation 

•  Can  Christ  be  the  head  of  a  worldly  government  1 

j-  Then  tl^qt  college  was  there,  which  is  since  at  New  Haven. 


1708.]  MR.  hooker's  opinions.  II 

in  each  county.  They  are  to  have  a  new  choice  of  mes- 
sengers and  moderators  once  a  year,  or  oftener ;  and  the 
last  moderator  is  to  call  a  new  meeting  when  it  is  judged 
proper.  Their  sentence  is  to  be  final  and  decisive. 
Their  other  judicatures  are  called  associations,  which  are 
meetings  of  ministers  by  themselves  in  each  circuit,  as 
often  as  they  think  proper,  to  hear  and  answer  questions 
of  importance,  to  examine  and  license  candidates  for  the 
ministry,  to  receive  complaints  from  individuals  or  socie- 
ties, and  to  direct  to  the  calling  of  the  council  to  try  the 
same,  if  they  think  proper ;  to  direct  destitute  churches  in 
calling  and  settling  pastors,  and  to  make  complaint  to 
their  legislature  against  any  whom  they  think  negligent 
of  their  duty  in  these  things.  And  each  association  is  to 
choose  one  or  two  delegates,  to  meet  once  a  year  from  all 
parts  of  their  government  in  a  general  association. 

Their  fourth  article  says,  *'  that  according  to  the  com- 
mon practice  of  our  churches,  nothing  shall  be  deemed 
an  act  or  judgment  of  any  council,  which  hath  not  a 
major  part  of  the  elders  present  concurring,  and  such  a 
number  of  the  messengers  present,  as  to  make  the  ma- 
jority of  the  council."  Which  is  a  naked  falsehood ;  for 
this  was  so  far  from  being  common,  that  such  a  practice 
was  never  known  before  in  New  England.  If  the  major 
vote  of  the  ministers  is  n'^cessary  in  all  their  acts,  to  what 
end  are  any  delegates  sent  from  their  churches  ?  Are 
they  not  mere  ciphers  ? 

Mr.  Hooker  of  Hartford,  one  of  the  best  ministers  who 
ever  came  to  America,  says,  '*  A  particular  congregation 
is  the  highest  tribunal,  unto  which  the  grieved  party  may 
appeal  in  the  third  place,  if  private  council,  or  the  wit- 
ness of  two  have  seemed  to  proceed  too  sharply,  and 
with  too  much  rigour  against  him  ;  before  the  tribunal 
of  the  church,  the  cause  may  easily  be  scanned  and  sen- 
tence executed  according  to  Christ.  If  difficulties  arise 
in  the  proceeding,  the  council  of  other  churches  should 
be  sous^ht  to  clear  the  truth  ;  but  the  power  of  censure 
rests  still  in  the  congregation  where  Christ  placed  it." 
And,  speaking  of  the  acts  of  councils,  he  says,  **  They 
set  down  their  determinations,  assure  truths  in  their  judg- 
12 


134  CHURCH    HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.     [CH.  VII. 

ments,  and  so  return  them  to  the  particular  churches  from 
whence  they  came  ;  and  their  determinations  take  place, 
not  because  they  concluded  so,  but  because  the  churches 
approved  of  what  they  have  determined  ;  for  the  churches 
sent  them,  and  therefore  are  above  them."*  ._ 

Thus  Congregational  principles  are,  that  ministers 
have  no  right  in  councils,  but  as  they  are  sent  by  each 
church,  and  that  their  judgments  are  not  binding  until 
the  church  approves  of  them ;  but  in  this  new  scheme, 
the  ministers  attend  councils  without  being  sent  by  their 
churches,  and  their  judgments  are  above  all  their 
churches.  And  yet  they  have  the  face  to  call  this  the 
common  practice  of  their  churches  in  former  times. 

Mr.  John  Woodward  was  then  minister  of  Norwich, 
and  he  got  the  act  of  their  legislature,  which  approved 
of  that  scheme,  and  read  off  the  first  part  of  it  to  his 
congregation,  without  the  clause  which  allowed  of  a  dis- 
sent from  it :  but  Richard  Bushnel  and  Joseph  Backus, 
Esquires,  their  representatives,  gave  them  that  clause ; 
but  he  got  a  major  vote  to  adopt  it,  upon  which  said  re- 
presentatives, and  other  fathers  of  the  town,  withdrew 
from  that  tyranny,  and  held  worship  by  themselves  for 
three  months.  For  this  the  minister  and  his  party  cen- 
sured them,  and  then  sent  a  letter  to  their  legislature, 
that  Norwich  had  sent  scandalous  men  for  their  repre- 
sentatives, who  were  under  church  censure,  and  they 
were  expelled  the  house.  But  it  was  not  long  before  the 
minister  consented  to  call  a  council ;  and  they  had  coun- 
cil after  council  for  about  six  years.  Mr.  Stoddard  was 
moderator  of  one  of  them,  and  the  governor  also  came 
there  to  try  what  his  influence  would  do.  The  last  coun- 
cil met  there,  August  31,  1716,  and  by  their  advice  he 
was  dismissed,  and  he  quitted  the  ministry,  and  went  to 
farming,  for  which  it  is  likely  he  was  better  qualified. 
The  church  in  Norwich  determined  to  abide  by  their  old 
principles,  and  it  was  well  known,  that  when  their  church 
was  constituted  at  Saybrook  in  1660,  with  the  approba- 
tion of  other  ministers,  Mr.  James  Fitch  was   ordained 

♦  Survey  of  Church  Discipline,  part  4,  p.  1 9.  47. 


1710.]  NORWICH   CASE.  135 

their  pastor,  by  the  laying  on  of  the  hands  of  their  two 
deacons,  as  a  token  that  the  power  of  ordination  is  in 
each  church.  They  came  and  planted  Norwich  the  same 
year,  and  Mr.  Fitch  was  greatly  esteemed  as  a  minister 
of  the  gospel  for  near  fifty  years.  Mr.  Timothy  Ed- 
wards, father  of  the  president,  with  his  church  at  Wind- 
sor, also  refused  to  receive  this  new  scheme.  But  many 
ministers  in  Massachusetts  were  so  fond  of  it,  that  they 
presented  a  petition  to  their  legislature,  in  1715,  that 
they  would  call  a  synod  to  introduce  it;  and  the  council 
voted  to  grant  it,  but  other  branches  did  not  concur. 
Yet  a  law  was  then  made,  to  require  each  county  court 
to  charge  the  grand  jury  to  prosecute  every  town  or  dis- 
trict who  neglected  to  settle  or  support  such  ministers  as 
they  called  orthodox  ;  and  if  they  could  not  bring  them 
to  do  it,  the  court  was  to  make  complaint  to  the  legisla- 
ture, and  they  were  to  order  such  sums  to  be  assessed  on 
delinquent  towns  as  they  judged  proper,  and  the  minis- 
ters were  to  draw  their  salaries  out  of  the  state  treasury. 
But  some  others  were  of  a  very  different  mind ;  for  two 
ministers  wrote  to  Mr.  Wise,  and  desired  him  to  print  a 
second  ediuon  of  his  piece  against  the  said  proposals, 
which  ihey  said,  '*  will  be  a  testimony  that  all  our  watch- 
men w(;!c  not  asleep,  nor  the  camp  of  Christ  surprised 
and  taken  before  they  had  warning."  This  was  the  lan- 
guage of  Mr.  Samuel  Moody  of  York,  and  Mr.  John 
White  of  Gloucester,  men  of  eminent  piety  and  useful- 
ness. Mr.  Wise  complied  with  their  request.  Mr. 
Backus  of  Norwich  had  requested  the  same,  when  he 
went  as  far  as  Boston  and  Ipswich  to  consult  about  their 
affairs,  before  Norwich  minister  was  dismissed.  Dr. 
Increase  Mather  also  now  published  a  book,  in  which  he 
said,  "  For  ministers  to  pretend  to  a  negative  voice  in 
synods,  or  for  councils  to  take  upon  them  to  determine 
what  elders  or  messengers  a  church  shall  submit  unto, 
without  the  choice  of  the  church  concerned  ;  or  for  mi- 
^nisters  to  pretend  to  be  members  of  a  council  without 
any  mission  from  their  churches,  nay,  although  the 
church  declares  that  they  will  not  send  them ;  is  prelec- 
ticaU  and  essentially  differing  not  only  from  Congrega 


186  CHURCH    HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.    j^CH.    VII. 

tional,  but  from  Presbyterian  principles.  And  now  that 
I  am  going  out  of  the  world,  I  could  not  die  in  peace,  if 
1  did  not  discharge  my  conscience  in  bearing  witness 
against  such  innovations,  and  invasions  on  the  rights 
and  liberties  belonging  to  particular  congregations  of 
Christ."  * 

This  was  the  testimony  of  the  oldest  minister  then  in 
this  province,  who  had  been  twice  to  England,  and  had 
been  President  of  Harvard  college  sixteen  years,  so  that 
his  knowledge  must  have  been  very  extensive  ;  and  yet 
his  testimony  was  little  regarded  by  many.  And  the  de- 
clension of  the  churches  kept  pace  with  the  corruption 
of  their  ministers  ;  for  Mr.  Stoddard  published  a  sermon 
from  the  twelfth  of  Exodus,  in  1707,  wherein  he  held 
forth,  *'  that  as  all  persons  in  Israel  who  were  circum- 
cised were  required  to  eat  the  passover,  so  all  baptized 
persons,  if  they  were  not  scandalous,  ought  to  come  to 
the  Lord's  supper."  And  he  went  so  far  as  to  say, 
'*  That  a  minister  who  knows  himself  unregenerate  may 
nevertheless  lawfully  administer  baptism  and  the  Lord's 
supper.  Men  who  are  destitute  of  saving  grace,  may 
preach  the  gospel,  and  therefore  administer  and  so  par- 
take  of  the  Lord's  supper.  For,  says  he,  the  children 
of  God's  people  should  be  baptized,  who  are  generally 
at  that  time  in  a  natural  condition.  And  the  sacrament 
is  a  converting  ordinance  for  church  members  only,  and 
not  for  other  men."*  Against  this  doctrine,  Dr.  Mather 
published  a  dissertation  in  1708,  wherein  he  brings  the 
awful  case  of  the  man  who  came  in  without  a  wedding 
garment,  and  of  them  who  eat  and  drink  the  supper 
unworthily  ;  to  avoid  which,  all  are  called  to  examine 
themselves  whether  they  be  in  the  faith;  also  that  all 
the  churches  to  whom  the  apostles  wrote  were  called 
saints,  and  faithful  brethren  in  Christ  Jesus,  and  the 
Lord  added  to  the  church  such  as  should  be  saved  ;  and 
much  more  to  the  same  purpose.  But  as  long  as  he  held 
to  infant  baptism,  Mr.  Stoddard  was  so  far  from  yielding 

*   Disquisition  concerning  Councils,  1716,  p.  13. 
f  Said  Sermon,  p.  13.  27,  28. 


17 18. J  BAPTISTS    ORDAINED    AT   BOSTON.  137 

to  him,  that  he  published  a  reply  in  1709,  wherein  all 
his  arguments  turned  upon  these  points  :  *'  That  if  un- 
sanctified  persons  might  lawfully  come  to  the  pass- 
over,  then  such  may  lawfully  come  to  the  Lord's  sup- 
per ;  and  they  who  convey  to  their  children  a  right 
to  baptism,  have  a  right  themselves  to  the  Lord's  supper, 
provided  they  carry  inoffensively."*  He  could  plainly 
see  that  there  was  no  halfway  in  the  Jewish  church ; 
and  his  opponent  could  see  as  plainly  that  fruits  meet  for 
repentance  were  required  in  order  for  baptism,  even  of 
those  who  were  in  Abraham's  covenant.  But  as  tradition 
had  taught  them  both  that  the  Christian  church  was  built 
upon  that  covenant,  neither  of  them  could  convince  the 
other,  though  they  were  two  of  the  most  able  ministers  in 
the  land. 

By  these  things  Dr.  Mather  was  brought  to  treat  the 
Baptists  in  quite  another  manner  than  formerly.  Mr. 
Ellis  Callender  joined  to  their  church  in  Boston  in  1669, 
and  was  a  leading  member  of  it  in  1680,  when  their 
house  was  nailed  up;  and  he  became  the  pastor  of  it  in 
1708.  On  August  10,  1713,  his  son  Elisha  became  a 
member  of  it,  after  which  he  went  through  Harvard  Col- 
lege in  Cambridge.  Dr.  Mather  had  appeared  so  friendly 
to  the  Baptists,  that  he  and  his  son,  and  Mr.  John  Webb, 
were  called,  and  assisted  in  ordaining  Mr.  Elisha  Callen- 
der, as  pastor  of  the  Baptist  church  in  Boston,  May  21, 
1718.  Dr.  Increase  Mather  wrote  a  preface  to  the  ordina- 
tion sermon,  in  which  he  said,  **  It  was  a  grateful  surprise 
to  me  when  several  brethren  of  the  Antipaedobaptist  per- 
suasion came  to  me,  desiring  that  I  would  give  them  the 
right  hand  of  fellowship  in  ordaining  one  whom  they  had 
chosen  to  be  their  pastor."  Dr.  Cotton  Mather  preached 
the  ordination  sermon,  in  which  he  spake  much  against 
cruelties  which  had  often  been  exercised  against  dissent- 
ers from  the  ruling  powers,  both  in  this  and  other  coun- 
tries, and  then  said,  '*  If  the  brethren  in  whose  house  we 
are  now  convened,  met  with  any  thing  too  unbrotherly, 
they  with  satisfaction  hear  us  expressing  our  dislike  of 

'•  Appeal  to  the  Learned,  p.  50.  89. 
12* 


.38  CHURCH     HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.    [CH.  VII. 

every  thing  that  looked  like  persecution  in  the  days  that 
have  passed  over  us.""^ 

Mr.  Ellis  Cailender  was  a  good  man  in  1680,  when 
the  house  was  nailed  up,  in  which  his  son  was  now  or- 
dained by  the  help  of  a  minister,  who  then  had  influence 
in  said  event.  He  was  then  very  zealous  against  those 
whom  he  now  gave  fellowship  to ;  and  this  may  aflford 
a  teaching  lesion  to  after  ages.  Many  are  earnest  in  our 
days  to  compel  all  to  support  Congregational  worship, 
who  are  far  from  acting  with  the  sincerity  that  their  fa- 
thers did. 

From  this  time  the  Baptist  principles  were  in  more  es- 
teem ;  and  Samuel  Jennings,  Esq.  a  representative  for 
Sandwich,  was  baptized  by  Mr.  Elisha  Cailender,  June 
9,  1718,  and  joined  to  his  church,  of  which  he  continued 
a  member  until  he  died  in  1764.  This  did  not  hinder  his 
being  elected  a  representative  again,  nor  of  hi«  serving  in 
other  offices  for  his  town.  And  such  a  revival  came  on  in 
Swansea,  in  1718,  as  caused  the  addition  of  fifty  members 
to  the  first  church  there  in  five  years,  of  which  an  account 
was  sent  to  Mr.  Thomas  Mollis  of  London,  one  of  the  most 
liberal  men  upon  earth.  Dr.  Mather  had  some  acquaintance 
with  him,  when  he  was  in  England  thirty  years  before  ; 
and  now,  hearing  of  these  transactions,  his  heart  was 
wonderfully  enlarged  towards  our  country.  Soon  after 
Mr.  Cailender  was  ordained,  he  and  his  church  wrote  t^ 
friends  in  London,  and  a  hundred  and  thirty-five  pounds 
were  sent  from  thence,  to  enable  them  to  repair  their 
meeting-house.  And  in  1720,  Mr.  Hollis  sent  over  so 
much  money  as  to  found  a  professorship  of  theology  in 
Harvard  College,  with  a  salary  of  eighty  pounds  a  year 
to  the  professor,  and  ten  pounds  per  annum  to  ten  scho- 
lars of  good  character,  four  of  whom  should  be  Baptists, 
if  any  such  were  there.  Also  ten  pounds  a  year  to  the 
college  treasurer,  for  his  trouble,  and  ten  pounds  more  to 
supply  accidental  losses,  or  to  increase  the  number  of 
students.  And  in  1726,  he  founded  in  that  college  a 
professorship  of  the  mathematics  and  experimental  phi- 

*  Said  Sennon,  p.  38,  39. 


1718.]  FREETOWN    OPPRESSED.  139 

losophy,  with  a  salary  of  eighty  pounds  a  year  to  the 
professor  ;  and  he  sent  over  an  apparatus  for  the  purpose, 
which  cost  about  an  hundred  and  fifty  pounds  sterling, 
beside  large  additions  to  the  college  library.  No  man 
had  ever  been  so  liberal  to  it  before,  as  was  this  Baptist 
gentleman. 


CHAPTER  VIIL 

Freetown  oppressed — Also  Tiverton  and  Dartmouth — They  got  re- 
lief from  England — Increase  Mather  died — His  son  tries  for  more 
power ;  but  is  checked  from  Enarland — He  dies — Pharaoh  imitated 
— Many  are  imprisoned — Religion  revived — Comer  converted — 
He  is  serviceable  in  many  places — He  and  others  die — Conijr.^a:a- 
tional  churches  at  Newport  and  Providence — A  great  work  at 
Northampton — Several  Baptist  churches  formed. 

Equal  liberty  was  then  enjoyed  in  Boston,  while  other 
towns  were  oppressed.  In  1718,  a  law  was  made  to 
compel  all  the  country  to  assist  in  building  or  repairing 
Congregational  meeting-houses;  and  in  1719,  another 
attempt  was  made  to  force  Swansea  to  receive  and  sup- 
port one  of  their  ministers,  when  they  had  two  Baptist 
churches  and  three  ministers  then  in  the  town,  and  no 
other  religious  society  therein.  Freetown,  on  the  east" 
side  of  Swansea,  called  Mr.  Thomas  Craghead,  a  minis- 
ter from  Ireland,  to  be  their  pastor,  September  9,  1717, 
and  he  accepted  of  their  call ;  but  instead  of  an  amicable 
agreement  with  them  about  his  support,  he  went  to  the 
court  at  Bristol  in  January,  1718,  and  procured  an  order 
from  thence  to  compel  Freetown  to  pay  to  him  a  salary 
of  sixty-five  pounds  a  year,  to  begin  from  the  day  he  was 
chosen  their  minister.  And  for  refusing  to  pay  it,  about 
fourteen  of  the  inhabitants  were  imprisoned  at  Bristol, 
one  of  whom  w^as  a  member  of  a  Baptist  church  in  New- 
port. These  things  produced  much  trouble  in  courts  for 
two  or  three  years,  till  the  minister  was  forced  to  leave 


140  CHURCH    HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.  [CH.  VIII. 

the  town,  and  the  broils  therein  lasted  for  several  genera- 
tions. 

Tiverton  and  Dartmouth  were  the  only  remaining 
towns  in  the  province  which  had  not  received  any  Con- 
gregational ministers.  .^Therefore  a  complaint  against 
them  was  made  to  their  legislature  in  May,  1722,  and 
they  voted  a  salary  for  such  ministers,  to  be  assessed 
upon  all  the  inhabitants  of  said  towns,  which  the  minis- 
ters were  to  draw  out  of  the  State  treasury.  But  their 
assessors  sent  and  obtained  an  account  of  how  much  was 
added  to  their  tax  on  that  account,  and  then  left  it  out  of 
their  assessment.  For  this,  two  assessors  of  each  town 
were  seized  in  May,  1723,  and  were  imprisoned  at  Bris- 
tol, until  they  sent  to  England,  and  got  that  act  disan- 
nulled by  the  king  and  council.  One  of  those  sufferers 
was  Philip  Tabor,  pastor  of  the  Baptist  church  on  the 
borders  of  Tiverton  and  Dartmouth.  But  before  the  or- 
der for  their  release  arrived,  two  more  assessors  of  Dart- 
mouth were  put  in  prison,  for  not  assessing  a  like  tax 
imposed  for  1723  ;  though  upon  the  arrival  of  that  order, 
they  were  released  by  an  act  of  the  legislature  here.  Yet 
the  ministers  were  so  far  from  yielding  to  these  things, 
that  they  presented  a  petition  to  their  legislators  in  May, 
1725,  that  they  would  call  a  synod,  to  give  their  advice 
about  what  were  the  evils  which  caused  the  judgments 
of  Heaven  upon  the  country,  and  what  were  the  evan- 
gelical means  which  should  be  used  to  remove  the  same, 
signed  by  Cotton  Mather,  in  the  name  of  the  ministers 
assembled  in  their  general  convention.*  But  the  consi- 
deration of  this  petition  was  put  off  to  the  next  meeting 
of  their  legislature. 

Episcopalians  sent  an  account  of  it  to  England,  and  a 
sharp  reprimand  was  sent  from  the  British  court  to  Lieu- 
tenant Governor  Dummer,  for  giving  any  countenance 
thereto,  as  being  an  invasion  of  the  king's  prerogative, 
who  only  could  lawfully  call  synods ;  and  a  command  to 
him  to  cause  such  a  meeting  to  cease,  if  it  was  convened, 
and  to  cause  the  chief  actors  therein  to  be  punished  if  they 

*  Hutchinson,  vol.  ii.  p.  322. 


y724.]  DEATH    OF    DR.    INCREASE    MATHER.  141 

(lid  not  immediately  disperse.  Before  this,  Dr.  Increase 
Mather  died,  August  23,  1723,  in  the  eighty-fifth  year  of 
his  age,  having  been  a  preacher  of  the  gospel  sixty-five 
years.  We  have  before  seen  how  he  testified  against  the 
power  which  ministers  had  assumed  over  the  churches ; 
but  his  son  was  so  fond  of  it,  that  when  Governor  Salton- 
stall  died  in  1724,  he  preached  a  funeral  sermon  for  him 
at  Boston,  and  got  it  printed  at  New  London.  And  he 
published  a  book  in  1726,  in  which  he  expressed  his 
resentment  against  Mr.  Wise  for  writing  against  the  pro- 
posals of  1705.  Having  mentioned  that  four  synods  had 
been  called  by  authority  in  Massachusetts,  he  says,  "  The 
synods  of  New  England  know  no  weapons,  but  what  are 
purely  spiritual.  They  have  no  secular  arms  to  enforce 
any  canons ;  they  ask  none  ;  they  want  none.  And  they 
cannot  believe,  that  any  Protestant  secular  arm  would, 
upon  due  information,  any  more  forbid  their  meetings, 
than  they  would  any  of  the  religious  assemblies  upheld  in 
the  country."*  Yet  many  were  banished  upon  the  result 
of  the  synod  of  1G37,  and  the  Baptist  meeting-house  in 
Boston  was  nailed  up,  after  the  synod  of  1679.  Yea, 
and  he  was  now' earnest  to  have  Congregational  ministers 
supported  by  taxes  imposed  '*  in  the  king's  name."  He 
approved  of  the  practice  of  some  towns,  who  involved  the 
salary  for  ministers  in  a  general  town  tax  ;t  and  there 
never  was  any  law  made  here  to  exempt  the  Baptists  from 
taxes  to  Congregational  ministers,  until  after  Dr.  Mather 
died,  February  13,  1728,  aged  65. 

But  in  May  following,  an  act  was  made  to  exempt  the 
persons  of  Baptists  and  Quakers  from  such  taxes,  if  they 
lived  within  five  miles  of  their  respective  meetings,  and 
usually  attended  worship  there  on  Lord's-days  ;  of  which 
they  must  give  an  account  to  their  county  courts  in  June 
annually,  upon  oath  or  affirmation,  after  which  the  clerk 
of  each  court  was  to  give  a  list  of  their  names  to  the 
assessors  of  each  town  or  precinct.      In  this,  arbitrary 

*  An  account  of  the  discipline  in  the  churches  of  New  England, 
p.  172,  173.  184. 
■flbid.  p.  21,  22. 


142  CHURCH    HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.    [CH.  VIII. 

power  was  carried  beyond  what  it  was  in  Egypt;  for 
Pharaoh  said,  *'  Go  ye,  serve  the  Lord ;  only  let  your 
flocks  and  herds  be  stayed."  Let  their  polls  be  exempted, 
but  their  estates  and  faculties  taxed,  said  Massachusetts. 
Herein  they  imitated  him  ;  but  they  went  beyond  him  in 
two  other  points  ;  for  Pharaoh  said,  **  Go  not  very  far 
away ;"  but  these  allowed  only  five  miles,  though  many 
of  their  parishioners  must  go  much  further  than  that  to 
meeting,  even  to  this  day  ;  neither  did  Pharaoh  require  a 
list  of  the  people  upon  oath,  as  these  did. 

Yet  this  small  favour  was  denied  to  dissenters  in  Reho- 
both  for  this  year ;  and  for  refusing  to  pay  a  tax  to  Con- 
gregational ministers  there,  twenty-eight  Baptists,  two 
Quakers,  and  two  Episcopalians  were  seized  and  impri- 
soned at  Bristol,  in  March,  1729.  Though  Governor 
Burnet  and  his  council  gave  their  opinion  in  favour  of 
these  people,  yet  they  were  confined  in  prison  till  they  or 
their  friends  paid  the  money.  In  the  fall  after,  an  act  was 
passed  to  exempt  their  estates  as  well  as  persons,  yet  still 
under  a  five  mile  limitation.  ~^ 

But  we  will  gladly  turn  to  more  agreeable  things ;  for 
although  the  majority  of  Congregational  ministers  were 
very  corrupt,  yet  some  of  them  were  faithful  and  success- 
ful. In  the  beginning  of  1705,  such  a  revival  of  religion  ~ 
was  granted  at  Taunton,  in  the  county  of  Bristol,  under 
the  ministry  of  Mr.  Samuel  Danforth,  as  turned  the  minds 
of  most  of  the  inhabitants  from  vain  company  and  many 
immoralities,  to  an  earnest  attention  to  religion,  and  the 
great  concerns  of  the  soul  and  eternity ;  and  they  had 
something  of  the  same  nature  at  this  time  in  Boston.*  In 
1721,  the  Spirit  of  God  was  so  remarkably  poured  out 
upon  the  inhabitants  of  Windham  in  Connecticut,  under 
the  ministry  of  Mr.  Samuel  Whiting,  and  such  a  great 
change  was  made,  that  fourscore  persons  were  added  to 
their  communion  in  about  half  a  year,  for  which  they 
kept  a  day  of  public  thanksgiving.!  One  curious  event 
happened  there,  which  I  will  mention.  The  word  preached 
was  such  a  looking-glass  to  one  man,  that  he  seriously 

*  Christian  History,  vol.  i.  p.  108.  112.         f  Ibid.  p.  130—134. 


1724.]  JOHN  COMER  CONVERTED.  143 

went  to  Mr.  Whiting,  and  told  him  he  was  very  sorry 
that  so  good  a  minister  as  he  was  should  so  grossly  trans- 
gress the  divine  rule,  as  to  tell  him  his  faults  before  all 
the  congregation,  instead  of  coming  to  deal  with  him  pri- 
vately. The  minister  smiled,  and  said  he  was  glad  that 
truth  had  found  him  out,  for  he  had  no  particular  thought 
of  him  in  his  sermon. 

Norwich,  ten  miles  from  Windham,  enjoyed  much  of 
the  like  blessing  the  same  year,  from  whence  my  pious 
mother  dated  her  conversion.  Boston  shared  something 
of  the  same,  when  God  in  judgment  remembered  mercy 
for  many ;  for  the  smallpox  came  into  the  town  in  April, 
J  721,  and  prevailed  through  the  year.  It  appeared  to 
have  happy  effects  upon  many  minds,  while  it  carried  a 
large  number  into  eternity.  One  instance  of  conversion 
there  I  shall  mention.  John  Comer  was  born  in  Boston, 
August  1,  1704,  and  sat  under  the  ministry  of  the  Dr.  Ma- 
thers. He  was  put  out  to  learn  a  trade ;  but  he  had  such  a 
desire  for  learning,  that  by  the  influence  of  Dr.  Increase 
Mather,  he  was  taken  from  it,  and  put  to  school  in  De- 
cember, 1720.  He  had  serious  concern  about  his  soul 
from  time  to  time,  until  he  had  caught  that  distemper ; 
and  he  says,  **  Nothing  but  the  ghostly  countenance  of 
death,  unprepared  for,  was  before  me,  and  no  sight  of  a 
reconciled  God,  nor  any  sense  of  the  application  of  the 
soul-cleansing  blood  of  Christ  to  my  distressed  sorj.  I 
remained  in  extreme  terror,  until  November  22,  1721. 
All  the  interval  of  time  I  spent  in  looking  over  the  affairs 
of  my  soul ;  and  on  that  day  I  was  taken  sick.  As  soon 
as  it  was  told  me  that  the  distemper  appeared,  all  my  fears 
entirely  vanished,  and  a  beam  of  comfort  darted  into  my 
soul,  and  with  it  satisfaction  from  those  words,  '  Thou 
shalt  not  die,  but  live  and  declare  the  works  of  the  Lord.' 
Yea,  so  great  was  my  satisfaction,  that  immediately  I 
replied,  to  my  aunt  who  told  me.  Then  I  know  I  shall 
not  die  now  ;  but  gave  no  reason  why  I  said  so." 

He  recovered,  and  pursued  his  learning  at  Cambridge, 

.where  he  joined  to  a  Congregational  church  in  February, 

1723.     Ephraim  Crafts,  his  intimate  friend,  had  joined 

to  the  Baptist  church  in  Boston  just  before.     This  Comer 


144  CHURCH    HISTORY    OF    NEW  ENGLAND.    [cH.  VIII. 

thought  to  be  a  very  wrong  action,  and  took  the  first  op- 
portunity he  had  to  try  to  convince  him  of  it ;  but  after 
considerable  debate,  Comer  was  prevailed  with  to  take 
Stennett  upon  baptism,  the  reading  of  which  gave  a  great 
turn  to  his  mind.  However,  he  concluded  to  be  silent 
about  it;  and  as  education  was  cheapest  at  New  Haven, 
he  went  and  entered  the  college  there  in  September,  1723, 
and  continued  a  member  of  it  until  October,  1724  ;  when 
infirmity  of  body  caused  his  return  to  Boston  by  water ; 
and  a  terrible  storm  at  sea.  with  the  death  of  a  dear  friend 
just  as  he  arrived,  brought  eternity  so  directly  before  him, 
as  to  spoil  his  plausible  excuses  for  the  neglect  of  baptism. 
He  informs  us,  that  those  words  of  Christ,  *'  Whosoever 
shall  be  ashamed  of  me,  and  of  my  words,  in  this  adul- 
terous and  sinful  generation,  of  him  also  shall  the  Son  of 
Man  be  ashamed,  when  he  cometh  in  the  glory  of  his 
Father,  with  the  holy  angels,"  had  such  influence  upon  n 
him,  that,  after  proper  labours  with  those  he  was  pre- 
viously connected  with,  he  was  baptized,  and  joined  to 
the  Baptist  church  in  Boston,  January  31,  1725,  and  con- 
cluded to  pursue  his  studies  in  a  private  way.  In  May 
following,  he  went  to  keep  school  in  Swansea,  and  was 
soon  called  to  preach  the  gospel  in  the  first  church  there ; 
and  on  May  19,  1726,  he  was  ordained  a  pastor  of  the 
first  church  in  Newport,  colleague  with  elder  Peckum. 

Mr.  Peckum  had  been  pastor  of  that  church  sixteen 
years,  but  his  gifts  were  small,  and  he  had  but  seventeen 
members  in  his  church ;  though  such  a  blessing  was 
granted  on  the  ministry  of  Mr.  Comer,  that  thirty-four 
were  added  to  them  in  three  years.  They  had  no  public 
singing,  until  he,  with  a  blessing,  introduced  it ;  neither 
had  they  any  church  records  before  he  got  a  book,  and 
collected  into  it  the  best  accounts  that  he  could  get  of 
their  former  affairs. 

As  it  has  been  a  common  thing  in  all  ages,  when  men 
have  declined  from  the  power  of  religion,  to  fix  upon 
some  external  practice  to  supply  the  want  of  it ;  so  this 
was  now  evident  among  the  Baptists  in  these  parts,  and  . 
upon  a  very  disputable  point  too.  For  in  the  law  of 
Moses,  a  great  variety  of  washings  or  bathings  were  re- 


1728.3  MR.  comer's  ministry.  145 

quired,  and  also  the  laying  on  of  hands  upon  the  head  of 
their  sacrifices,  as  a  token  of  their  sins  being  laid  thereon; 
and  this  evidently  pointed  to  laying  our  sins  upon  Christ, 
who  bare  our  sins  in  his  own  body  on  the  tree.  And 
those  washings  were  a  clear  type  of  the  washing  of  re- 
generation, and  renewing  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  which  God 
sheds  on  us  abundantly  through  Christ  Jesus  our  Saviour.  j 
All  must  allow  these  to  be  foundation  points.  And  the  — ^ 
same  word  that  is  rendered  baptisms  in  the  sixth  chapter 
to  the  Hebrews,  is  rendered  washings  in  the  ninth  ;  and 
divers  washings,  and  carnal  ordinances  there,  refer  most 
certainly  to  Jewish  ceremonies.  But  the  doctrine  which 
was  held  forth  in  those  washings,  and  laying  on  of  hands, 
was  evidendy  the  doctrine  of  the  renewing  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  and  of  our  acceptance  with  God  by  having  our 
sins  laid  upon  Christ,  who  made  atonement  for  them. 

But  receiving  it  as  a  foundation  principle  in  Christianity, 
that  every  believer  must  pass  under  laying  on  of  hands 
after  baptism,  in  order  to  be  received  into  church  commu- 
nion, caused  a  separation  among  the  Baptists  in  Newport 
and  Providence  in  1652,  which  still  continued  in  New- 
port. And  as  Mr.  Comer  thought  that  separation  to  be 
wrong,  and  yet  that  laying  on  of  hands  after  baptism  was 
warrantable,  he  preached  it  up  in  that  way,  on  November 
17,  1728,  without  first  acquainting  his  church  with  his 
being  of  this  mind.  Therefore  two  of  the  most  powerful 
members,  who  disliked  his  searching  preaching,  took  this 
as  a  handle  to  crowd  him  out  of  their  church.  This  was 
a  sore  trial  to  him,  but  they  prevailed  to  have  him  dis- 
missed in  January,  1729,  and  he  then  passed  under  hands, 
and  was  received  into  the  second  church  in  Newport, 
where  he  preached  one-half  of  the  Lord's-days  with  elder 
Daniel  Wightman  for  two  years.  A  revival  of  religion 
began  in  that  church  a  little  before,  and  forty  members 
were  added  to  it  in  those  two  years,  at  the  close  of  which 
they  had  one  hundred  and  fifty  members,  being  the  largest 
church  in  the  colony.  Governor  Jenks  then  lived  in 
Newport,  and  communed  with  that  church,  who  supported 
Comer  liberally.  In  March,  1731,  he  went  a  journey 
into  New  Jersey,  and  as  far  as  Philadelphia,  and  was 
13 


146  CHURCH    HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.  [CH.  VIII. 

greaily  pleased  with  the  faith  and  order  of  the  Baptist 
churches  in  those  parts. 

Upon  his  return,  receiving  an  invitation  from  Reho- 
both,  he  was  dismissed  from  Newport,  and  removed  to 
Rehoboth  in  August,  where  a  church  was  formed,  and  he 
was  installed  their  pastor,  January  26,  1732.  In  the 
mean  time,  Mr.  John  Callender  from  Boston  was  or- 
dained in  the  first  church  in  Newport,  a  colleague  with 
elder  Peckum,  October  13,  1731.  Also  Mr.  Nicholas 
Eyres,  who  came  from  England  to  New  York,  was  called 
to  Newport,  and  was  settled  as  a  colleague  with  elder 
Wightman  the  same  month. 

Mr.  Elisha  Callender  of  Boston  had  been  sent  for  to 
Springfield,  where  he  baptized  seven  persons  in  July, 
1727,  and  Mr.  Comer  visited  them  in  October  following: 
and  was  there  when  the  great  earthquake  came  on  in  the 
evening  of  the  29th  of  that  month.  After  he  was  settled 
in  Rehoboth,  he  visited  the  people  in  Sutton  and  Leices- 
ter, in  June,  1732,  and  baptized  eight  persons  in  those 
two  towns  :  one  of  whom  was  Daniel  Denny,  Esq.,  who 
came  from  England.  The  next  month  he  preached  in 
Middleborough,  and  baptized  one  man  there.  In  Novem- 
ber following,  he  baptized  fifteen  at  home  in  one  day ; 
and  before  the  close  of  1733,  his  church  had  increased  to 
ninety-five  members,  besides  many  seals  of  his  ministry 
who  joined  to  other  churches.  He  was  a  small  man,  but 
of  sprightly  powers  both  of  body  and  mind,  and  did  much 
towards  the  revival  of  doctrinal  and  practical  religion 
among  the  Baptists ;  and  collected  many  papers,  and  wrote 
many  things  that  have  been  very  serviceable  in  our  his- 
tory. But  his  constant  labours  and  exertions  in  this  noble 
cause,  wasted  his  vital  strength,  and  he  fell  into  a  con- 
sumption, of  which  he  died  in  Rehoboth,  May  23,  1734, 
before  he  was  thirty  years  old.  Elder  Ephraim  Wheaton, 
pastor  of  the  first  church  in  Swansea,  died  the  26th  of 
April  before,  aged  75,  having  two  hundred  members  in 
his  church.  These  things  I  have  carefully  collected  from 
various  records  and  writings. 

On  September  16,  1735,  a  Baptist  church  was  formed 
in  Sutton,  and   September  28,   1737,  Benjamin  Marsh 


1738.]  MR.    ELISHA    CALLENDER.  147 

and  Thomas  Green  were  ordained  their  joint  pastors. 
But  on  September  28,  1738,  by  mutual  agreement,  the 
brethren  at  Leicester  became  a  church  by  themselves,  and 
Green  their  pastor.  On  November  4,  1736,  a  Baptist 
xhurch  was  gathered  in  Brimfield  ;  and  on  November  4, 
1741,  Ebenezer  Moulton  was  ordained  their  pastor. 
March  24,  1738,  a  century  after  the  deed  of  Rhode  Island 
was  obtained  of  the  Narraganset  Indians,  Mr.  John  Cal- 
lender  delivered  a  sermon  at  Newport,  which  he  publish- 
ed with  enlargements,  containing  the  best  history  of  that 
colony  then  extant.  But  his  uncle  at  Boston  was  taken 
away  by  death  the  last  day  of  that  month  ;  and  he  finish- 
ed his  course  in  the  happy  manner  following :  March  21, 
he  said,  *'  When  I  look  on  one  hand,  I  see  nothing  but 
sin,  guilt,  and  discouragement ;  but  when  I  look  on  the 
other,  I  see  my  glorious  Saviour,  and  the  merits  of  his 
precious  blood,  which  cleanseth  from  all  sin.  I  cannot 
say  I  have  such  transports  of  joy  as  some  have  had,  but 
through  grace  I  can  say  I  have  gotten  the  victory  over 
death  and  the  grave."  Being  asked  what  word  of  advice 
he  had  for  his  church,  he  earnestly  replied,  **  Away  with 
lukewarini38ss !  Away  with  such  remissness  in  attending 
the  hoii:^e  of  prayer,  which  has  been  a  discouragement  to 
me,  and  I  have  been  faulty  myself."  The  Boston  Even- 
ing Poot  of  April  3,  says,  **  Friday  morning  last,  after  a 
lingering  sickness,  deceased  the  Reverend  Mr.  Elisha 
Callender,  minister  of  the  Baptist  church  in  this  town;  a 
gentleman  universally  beloved  by  people  of  all  persuasions, 
for  his  charitable  and  catholic  way  of  thinking.  His  life 
was  unspotted,  and  his  conversation  always  affable,  reli- 
gious, and  truly  manly.  During  his  long  illness  he  was 
remarkably  patient,  and  in  his  last  hours  (like  the  blessed 
above)  pacific  and  entirely  serene ;  his  senses  good  to  the 
last.  /  shalU  said  he,  sleep  in  Jesus,  and  that  moment 
expired." 

Mr.  Comer  gives  us  an  account  of  the  first  planting  of 
the  Congregational  churches  in  Rhode  Island  colony.  Mr. 
Nathanael  Clap  from  Dorchester  began  to  preach  in  New- 
port in  1695,  and  continued  his  labours  there,  under  many 
discouragements,  until  a  church  was  formed,  and  he  was 


148  CHURCH    HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.    [CH.  VIII. 

ordained  their  pastor,  November  3,  1720.  But  in  1727, 
one  Mr.  John  Adams,  a  young  minister,  came  and  preach- 
ed there  ;  and  because  Mr.  Clap  would  not  consent  to 
have  him  setded  as  his  colleague,  a  party  council  from 
Massachusetts  divided  the  church,  and  Adams  was  ordain- 
ed over  a  majority  of  the  church,  April  11,  1728;  and 
Mr.  (>lap  was  shut  out  of  his  meeting-house,  and  his 
people  built  another  for  him.  But  in  about  two  years, 
Adams's  people  dismissed  him  without  a  recommenda- 
tion. Congregational  ministers  also  took  much  pains  to 
introduce  their  worship  into  Providence ;  to  promote 
which,  an  association  of  ministers,  in  and  near  Boston, 
wrote  to  Governor  Jenks,  and  other  men  of  note  in  that 
town,  October  27,  1721,  and  said,  "With  what  peace 
and  love  societies  of  different  modes  of  worship  have  gene- 
rally entertained  one  another  in  your  government,  we 
cannot  think  of  it  without  admiration ;  and  we  suppose, 
under  God,  it  is  owing  to  the  choice  liberty  granted  to 
Protestants  of  all  persuasions,  in  the  royal  charter  gra- 
ciously given  you  ;  and  to  the  wise  and  prudent  conduct 
of  the  gentlemen  that  have  been  governors  and  justices 
in  your  colony."  And  so  went  on  to  desire  them  to 
countenance  and  encourage  the  preaching  of  their  minis- 
ters among  them.  The  town  of  Providence  wrote  an 
answer  to  them,  February  23,  1722,  signed  by  .Jonathan 
Sprague,  wherein  they  say,  "  This  happiness  principally 
consists  in  their  not  allowing  societies  any  superiority 
one  over  another ;  but  each  society  supports  their  own 
ministry,  of  their  own  free-will,  and  not  by  constraint  or 
force,  upon  any  man's  person  or  estate  ;  and  this  gready 
adds  to  our  peace  and  tranquillity.  But  the  contrary,  that 
takes  any  man's  estate  by  force,  to  maintain  their  own  or 
any  other  ministry,  it  serves  for  nothing  but  to  provoke 
to  wrath,  envy,  and  strife."  And  they  went  on  to  msntion 
how  such  things  were  continued  in  their  government. 

An  anonymous  reply  to  this  was  published  the  fall 
after,  which  contained  a  mean  reflection  against  Sprague's 
character,  without  any  thing  that  could  vindicate  their 
own  conduct.  In  January,  1723,  Sprague  wrote  a  brief 
vindication  of  his  character,  and  then  said,  "  Why  do  you 


I 


1727.]  EARTHQUAKE    IN    PROVIDENCE.  149 

Strive  to  persuade  the  rising  generation,  that  you  never 
persecuted  nor  hurt  the  Baptists  ?  Did  you  not  barba- 
rously scourge  Mr.  Obadiah  Holmes,  and  imprison  John 
Hazel  of  Rehoboth,  who  died  and  came  not  home  ?  And 
did  you  not  barbarously  scourge  Mr.  Baker,  in  Cambridge, 
the  chief  mate  of  a  London  ship  ?  Where  also  you  impri- 
soned Mr.  Thomas  Gould,  John  Russell,  Benjamin  Sweet- 
ser,  and  many  others,  and  fined  them  fifty  pounds  a  man. 
And  did  you  not  take  away  a  part  of  said  Sweetser's  land, 
to  pay  his  fine,  and  conveyed  it  to  Solomon  Phips,  the 
Deputy-governor  Danforth's  son-in-law,  who  after  by  the 
hand  of  God  ran  distracted,  dying  suddenly,  saying  he 
was  bewitched?  And  did  you  not  nail  up  the  Baptist 
meeting-house  doors,  and  fine  Mr,  John  Miles,  Mr.  James 
Brown,  and  Mr.  Nicholas  Tanner?  Surely  I  can  fill 
sheets  of  paper  with  the  sufferings  of  the  Baptists,  as  well 
as  others,  within  your  precincts ;  but  what  I  have  men- 
tioned shall  suffice  for  the  present."  Mr.  Sprague  was  a 
minister  for  many  years  to  a  Baptist  society,  in  the  east 
part  of  Smithfield,  then  a  part  of  Providence,  where  he 
died  in  January,  1741,  aged  93.  Mr.  Comer  knew  him, 
and  speaks  of  him  as  a  very  judicious  and  pious  man. 

A  Congregational  church  was  constituted  in  Provi- 
dence, and  Mr.  Josiah  Cotton  was  ordained  their  pastor, 
October  23,  1728.  The  year  before,  on  October  29, 
1727,  about  ten  in  the  evening,  came  on  the  greatest 
earthquake  that  had  then  been  known  in  this  country,  and 
great  numbers  were  awakened  thereby,  in  all  parts  of  the 
land,  many  of  whom  appeared  to  be  truly  turned  to  God, 
though  others  soon  forgot  their  danger.  But  greater 
things  are  before  us,  as  to  real  reformation,  and  one  instru- 
ment of  it  deserves  particular  notice ;  namely,  Mr.  Jona- 
than Edwards,  who  was  born  at  Windsor  in  Connecticut, 
October  5,  1703;  was  educated  at  Yale  College,  and  be- 
gan to  preach  the  gospel  in  1722,  and  was  ordained  at 
Northampton,  colleague  with  his  grandfather  Stoddard, 
February  15,  1727.  Mr.  Stoddard  died  February  11, 
1729,  after  having  preached  there  about  sixty  years.  He 
preached  the  clear  doctrines  of  grace,  and  had  great  suc- 
cess in  his  ministry,  notwithstanding  his  opinion  about 
18* 


150  CHURCH    HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENiGLAND.       [CH.  IX. 

terms  of  communion  and  church  government,  before  de- 
scribed. 

It  was  a  low  time  among  them  for  several  years,  until 
a  revival  of  religion  began  in  Northampton,  in  1733,  and 
it  arose  so  high  in  the  spring  of  1735,  that  Mr.  Edwards 
entertained  hopes  that  about  thirty  were  converted  in  a 
week,  for  six  weeks  together ;  so  that  scarce  a  grown 
person  in  the  place  remained  unaffected,  and  many  child- 
ren were  effectually  called.     The  same  work  was  pow- 
erful in  about  twelve  adjacent  towns  in  the  county  of  • 
Hampshire,  and  they  had  something  of  it  in  various  parts  j 
of  Connecticut.     Mr.  Edwards  wrote  a  narrative  of  this  j 
great  work,  in  1736,  which  was  printed  in  England  as 
well  as  America,  and  caused  great  joy  to  many ;  though; 
it  was  but  as  dropping,  before  a  plentiful  shower,  as  will, 
appear  in  the  ilext  chapter. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

The  low  state  of  religion  in  our  land — But  a  glorious  revival  was 
now  granted ;  and  it  spread  far — Yet  laws  were  made  against  it  in 
Connecticut,  and  writings  against  it  in  Massachusetts,  though  in- 
consistent— Ministers  are  punished  by  the  general  court  of  Con- 
necticut— Some  make  retractions — But  President  Edwards  con- 
demns opposers. 

The  first  fathers  of  New  England  held,  that  each  be 
liever  stands  in  the  same  relation  to  his  children  as  Abra- 
ham did  to  his,  in  the  covenant  of  circumcision ;  and 
therefore  that  each  believer  had  a  right  to  bring  his  child 
ren  to  baptism,  which  no  others  had.  But  forty  years 
after,  a  door  was  opened  for  those  who  had  been  baptized 
in  infancy,  and  were  not  scandalous,  to  bring  their  infants 
to  baptism,  though  none  were  to  come  to  the  ordinance 
of  the  supper  without  a  profession  of  saving  grace.  Yet 
in  forty  years  more,  an  open  plea  was  published,  before 
described,  for  all  baptized  persons  who  were  not  openly 


1740.]  MR.    GEORGE    WHITEFIELD.  151 

scandalous,  to  come  to  the  Lord's  supper,  as  well  as  to 
bring  their  children  to  baptism.  And  in  a  third  forty 
years,  these  things  had  turned  the  world  into  the  church, 
and  the  church  into  the  world,  in  such  a  manner  as  to 
leave  very  little  difference  between  them.  But  as  it  is 
said  of  false  teachers,  **They  are  of  the  world,  therefore 
speak  they  of  the  world,  and  the  world  heareth  them," 
so  it  was  generally  in  our  land.  1  John  iv.  5.  And  in 
England  the  declension  had  gone  so  far,  that  in  1736, 
Bishop  Butler  said,  **  It  is  come,  I  know  not  how,  to  be 
taken  for  granted,  by  many  persons,  that  Christianity  is 
not  so  much  as  a  subject  of  inquiry  ;  but  that  it  is  now  at 
length  discovered  to  be  fictitious  ;  and  accordingly  they 
treat  it  as  if  in  the  present  age  this  were  an  agreed  poiiit 
among  all  people  of  discernment,  and  nothing  remained 
but  to  set  it  up  a  principal  subject  of  mirth  and  ridicule, 
as  it  were  by  way  of  reprisals,  for  its  having  so  long  in- 
terrupted the  pleasures  of  the  world."* 

But  when  the  enemy  was  thus  coming  in  like  a  flood, 
the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  lifted  up  a  standard  against  him. 
Mr.   George  Whitefield,   who  was  born  in  the  city  of    * 
Gloucester,  December  16,  1714,  converted  while  in  the 
University  of  Oxford  in  1733,  and  ordained  in  1736,  was 
wonderfully  furnished  with  grace  and  gifts  to  proclaim     i 
doctrinal  and   practical  Christianity  through  the  British    / 
empire.     He  sailed  from  England  in  December,  1737,  toJ 
Georgia,  and  returned  through  Ireland  to  England  in  De- 
cember, 1738.     He  embarked  again  for  America  in  Au- 
gust, 1739,  and  travelled  and  laboured  with  great  success, 
as  far  northward  as  New  York.     He  returned  back  to 
Georgia,  from  whence  he  went  to  South  Carolina,  and 
sailed  from  thence  to  New  England,  where  he  had  been 
earnestly  invited,  and  landed  at  Newport,  September  14, 
1740,  and  preached  there  three  days,  from  whence  he 
came   to  Boston  the  18th.     After   preaching   there  and 
near  it  many  days,  he  went  as  far  eastward  as  Old  York, 
to  see  our  excellent  Moody  ;  and  then  he  returned  and 
preached  at  Boston  till  October  12,  after  which  he  went 

*  Preface  to  his  Analogy. 


152  CHURCH    HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.       [CH.  IX. 

up  westward  to  Northampton,  to  see  Mr.  Edwards,  and 
roused  the  people  there ;  he  then  turned  down  by  Hart- 
ford and  New  Haven,  and  away  to  New  York,  through 
New  Jersey  and  Philadelphia,  and  embarked  from  Dela- 
ware Bay,  December  1,  1740.  And  he  then  said,  *'  0  ! 
my  soul,  look  back  with  gratitude  on  what  the  Lord  hath 
done  for  thee  in  this  excursion.  I  think  it  is  the  seventy- 
fifth  day  since  I  arrived  at  Rhode  Island.  My  body  was 
then  weak,  but  the  Lord  has  much  renewed  its  strength. 
I  have  been  enabled  to  preach,  I  think,  one  hundred  and 
seventy-five  times  in  public,  besides  exhorting  frequently 
in  private.  I  have  travelled  upwards  of  eight  hundred 
miles,  and  gotten  upwards  of  seven  hundred  pounds  ster- 
ling, in  goods,  provisions,  and  money,  for  the  Georgia 
orphans.  Never  did  God  vouchsafe  to  me  greater  com- 
forts. Never  did  I  see  such  a  continuance  of  the  Divine 
presence  in  the  congregations  to  whom  I  have  preach- 
ed."* 

When  he  went  through  New  Jersey,  he  prevailed  with 
Mr.  Gilbert  Tennant  to  take  a  tour  into  this  field,  which 
was  white  already  unto  the  harvest ;  and  he  came  to  Bos- 
ton in  December,  and  laboured  in  these  parts  till  March, 
when  he  came  round  by  Plymouth,  Middleborough, 
Bridgwater,  Taunton,  Newport,  and  Providence,  and  so 
returned  home  through  Connecticut.  Both  of  them,  in 
their  preaching,  laid  open  the  dreadful  danger  of  hypo- 
crisy, as  well  as  profaneness,  and  spake  as  plainly  against 
unconverted  ministers  and  professors  as  any  other  sort 
of  sinners,  and  the  effects  were  exceeding  great  and 
happy. 

Some  indeed  tried  to  persuade  the  world,  that  the  great 
change  then  made  in  the  land,  was  chiefly  owing  to  the 
mechanical  influence  of  their  terrible  words,  gestures, 
and  moving  ways  of  address.  But  Mr.  Prince  says, 
'*  As  to  Mr.  Whitefield's  preaching,  it  was  in  the  man- 
ner, moving,  winning,  and  melting ;  but  the  mechanical 
influence  of  this,  according  to  the  usual  operation  of  me- 
chanical powers,  in  two  or  three  days  expired,  with  many 

\  •  Collection  of  his  Journals,  p.  437. 


1740.]  REVIVALS    OP    RELIGION.  153 

in  two  or  three  hours ;  and  I  believe  with  the  most  as 
soon  as  the  sound  was  over,  or  they  got  out  of  the  house,  -n 
or  in  the  first  conversation  they  fell  into.  But  with  the  ' 
manner  of  his  preaching,  wherein  he  appeared  to  be  in 
earnest,,  he  delivered  those  vital  truths  which  animated 
all  our  martyrs,  made  them  triumph  in  flames,  and  led 
his  hearers  into  the  view  of  that  vital,  inward,  active 
piety,  which  is  the  mere  efiect  of  the  mighty  and  super- 
natural operation  of  a  divine  power  on  the  souls  of  men ; 
which  only  will  support  and  carry  through  the  sharpest  i 
trials,  and  make  meet  for  the  inheritance  of  the  saints  in 
light."  As  to  Mr.  Tennant,  he  says,  "In  private  con-'~~^ 
verse  with  him  I  found  him  to  be  a  man  of  considerable 
parts  and  learning ;  free,  gentle,  condescending ;  and  from 
his  own  various  experience,  reading  the  most  noted 
writers  on  experimental  divinity,  as  well  as  the  Scriptures, 
and  conversing  with  many  who  had  been  awakened  by 
his  ministry  in  New  Jersey,  where  he  then  lived ;  he 
seemed  to  have  as  deep  an  acquaintance  with  the  experi- 
mental part  of  religion  as  any  I  have  conversed  with,  and 
his  preaching  was  as  searching  and  rousing  as  ever  1' 
heard.  He  seemed  to  have  no  regard  to  please  the  eyes 
of  his  hearers  with  agreeable  gestures,  nor  their  ears  with' 
delivery,  nor  their  fancy  with  language ;  but  to  aim  di- 
rectly at  their  hearts  and  consciences,  to  lay  open  their 
ruinous  delusions,  show  them  their  numerous,  secret,  hy- 
pocritical  shifts  in  religion,  and  drive  them  out  of  every 
deceitful  refuge,  wherein  they  made  themselves  easy 
with  a  form  of  godliness  without  the  power."* 

Religion  was  much  revived  at  Boston,  Northampton, 
and  other  places  in  the  fall  and  winter;  and  in  the  twa 
years  following,  the  work  spread  through  most  parts  of 
New  England,  New  York,  New  Jersey,  and  Pennsylva- 
nia, beyond  all  that  was  ever  known  before  in  America. 
Several  ministers,  who  were  converted  before,  were  now 
greatly  quickened,  and  spent  much  of  their  time  in  tra- 
velling and  preaching  in  various  parts  of  the  land. 
Others,  who  had  been  blind  guides  before,   were  now 

*  Christian  History,  vol.  ii.  p.  384 — 387 


154  CHURCH    HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.      [cH.  IX. 

^spiritually  enlightened,  and  heartily  joined  in  this  great 
work ;  three  of  them  were  Mr.  William  Hobby  of  Read- 
ing, Mr.  John  Porter  of  Bridgwater,  and  Mr.  Daniel 
Rogers,  a  tutor  in  Harvard  College,  who  all  acknow- 
ledged Mr.  Whitefield  to  be  the  instrument  of  their  con- 
version. A  number  of  young  scholars  also  met  with  a 
change  in  these  times,  and  came  into  the  ministry,  in 
which  they  did  much  for  the  good  of  souls.  Religious 
meetings,  and  religious  conversation,  engaged  the  atten- 
tion of  a  great  part  of  the  people  in  most  parts  of  the 
land.  A  reformation  of  life,  confessing  their  former 
faults,  and  making  restitution  for  injuries  done,  were  evi- 
dent in  many  places  ;  and  a  vast  number  of  all  ages  made 
a  profession  of  religion,  and  joined  to  the  several  churches 
where  they  lived. 

But  a  great  majority  of  the  ministers  and  rulers  through 
the  land  disliked  this  work,  and  exerted  all  their  powers 
against  it ;  and  as  many  imperfections  appeared  therein, 
this  gave  them  many  plausible  excuses  for  so  doing.  But 
Mr.  Edwards  delivered  a  sermon  at  New  Haven  in  Sep- 
tember, 1741,  in  which  he  well  distinguished  between  the 
marks  of  a  true  work  of  God,  and  all  false  appearances  of 
it,  which  was  printed  and  spread  through  the  nation,  and 
was  much  esteemed.  An  anonymous  answer  to  it  was 
soon  published  at  Boston,  and  many  appeared  against  the 
work  in  Massachusetts  ;  but  they  could  not  get  any  law 
made  against  it,  as  they  did  in  Connecticut.  ^-^ 

Governor  Talcot  died  there  in  October,  1741,  while 
their  legislature  was  sitting,  who  then  elected  another  go- 
vernor, who  was  greatly  in  favour  of  ministerial  power ; 
and  they  called  a  consociation  of  ministers  to  meet  at 
Guilford  in  November,  and  they  drew  up  a  number  of 
resolves,  in  one  of  which  they  said,  **  That  for  a  minister 
to  enter  into  another  minister's  parish,  and  preach  or  ad- 
minister the  seals  of  the  covenant,  without  the  consent  of, 
or  in  opposition  to  the  settled  minister  of  the  parish,  is 
disorderly,^''  Mr.  Robbins  of  Branford  had  done  some- 
thing like  it  before  at  New  Haven,  for  which  others  had 
reproved  him,  and  he  had  made  some  concessions  to  them. 
In  December  he  received  a  letter  from  a  Baptist  minister 


1742.]  RESTRICTIONS  ON   PREACHING.  155 

in  Wallingford,  informing  him  that  Dr.  Bellamy  had 
preached  to  their  society  to  mutual  satisfaction,  a^jd  desir- 
ing that  he  would  do  the  like.  This  request  appeared 
agreeable,  and  he  appointed  a  meeting  for  this  purpose, 
January  6,  1742.  But  two  days  before  that  time,  a  deacon 
from  Wallingford  brought  him  a  letter  signed  by  forty-two 
men  in  their  town,  and  another  signed  by  two  ministers 
who  lived  by  the  way,  desiring  him  not  to  go  to  preach 
to  those  Baptists,  without  giving  any  reason  against  it, 
but  their  desire.  And  as  this  did  not  appear  to  him  a 
sufficient  reason  to  violate  his  promise,  and  to  disappoint 
a  people  who  were  desirous  to  hear  the  gospel,  he  w^ent 
and  preached  two  sermons  to  them.  Yet  for  this  he  was 
complained  of  as  a  disorderly  person,  to  the  consociation 
of  New  Haven  county,  February  9.  He  asked  how  it 
could  be  disorderly,  since  he  preached  to  a  particular  re- 
ligious society,  at  the  request  of  their  pastor.  They 
answered,  that  it  was  not  a  lawful  society,  but  a  disor- 
derly company.  He  replied,  that  Governor  Talcot  had 
advised  Wallingford  collectors  not  to  distrain  ministerial 
taxes  from  them  ;  and  the  authority  sent  them  annual  pro- 
clamations for  fasts  and  thanksgivings,  as  to  other  socie- 
ties.* But  they  disregarded  these  reasons,  and  expelled 
him  out  of  their  consociation  !  This  was  abput  the  time 
that  Mr.  David  Brainerd  was  expelled  out  of  Yale  col- 
lege, who  did  the  most  afterwards  towards  spreading 
Christianity  among  the  Indians  of  any  man  in  our  day. 
How  far  were  the  above  actions  from  a  catholic  behaviour 
towards  the  Baptists,  pretended  to  by  many  ! 

Those  ministers  procured  a  law  to  be  made  in  May, 
1742,  wherein  it  w^as  enacted,  that  if  any  settled  minister 
in  their  government  should  preach  in  the  parish  of  another 
without  his  consent,  he  should  lose  all  the  benefit  of 
their  laws  for  his  support ;  and  that  if  any  man  who  was 
not  a  settled  minister,  should  go  into  any  parish  and 
preach  without  such  consent,  he  should  be  imprisoned 
until  he  gave  an  hundred  pound  bond  not  to  do  so  again ; 

*  That  Baptist  church  in  Wallingford  was  formed,  and  Mr.  John 
Merriraan  was  ordained  their  pastor  in  1739. 


156  CHURCH    HISTORY   OF    NEW    ENGLAND.       [CH.  IX. 

and  if  any  minister  came  out  of  any  other  government, 
and  preached  without  such  consent,  he  should  be  taken 
up  by  authority,  and  carried  as  a  vagrant  person  out  of 
Connecticut.  At  the  same  time  they  had  an  old  law,  by 
which  every  person  was  to  be  fined  ten  shillings,  who 
drew  off  from  parish  ministers,  and  met  for  worship  in  a 
place  separate  from  them.  What  tyranny  was  this  !  And 
though  Massachusetts  had  no  power  to  make  such  laws 
about  preachers,  yet  saicl  Connecticut  law  was  printed  in 
a  Boston  newspaper,  and  many  did  all  they  could  against 
travelling  ministers,  and  against  the  work  in  general. 

But  Mr.  Edwards  published  a  book  on  the  other  side, 
in  1742 ;  showing  that  the  work  then  going  on  in  the  land 
was  a  glorious  work  of  God ;  the  duty  of  all  to  acknow- 
ledge and  to  promote  it,  and  the  great  danger  of  the  con- 
trary ;  wherein  its  friends  had  been  injuriously  blamed  ; 
what  ought  to  be  corrected  among  them,  and  what  ought 
positively  to  be  done  to  promote  the  work.  This  book 
was  much  esteemed  in  Europe  as  well  as  America.  Yet 
Dr.  Charles  Chauncy  of  Boston  was  so  much  displeased 
with  it,  that  he  set  off  and  travelled  through  the  country, 
as  far  as  Philadelphia,  picking  up  all  the  evils  that  he 
could  find,  and  some  reports  that  were  not  true,  concern- 
ing the  work,  and  published  them  in  1743,  as  an  answer 
to  Edwards.  In  an  introduction  of  above  thirty  pages, 
he  tries  to  prove  that  this  work  was  carried  on  by  the 
same  spirit  and  errors  that  were  condemned  by  the  synod 
of  1637.  But  what  has  been  before  recited,  and  much 
more  that  might  be  produced,  plainly  shows  the  contrary. 
He  then  spends  about  three  hundred  pages  upon  what  he 
calls,  "  things  of  a  bad  and  dangerous  tendency,  in  the 
late  religious  appearances  in  New  England."  And  the 
first  thing  which  he  so  calls,  is  itinerant  preaching,  which 
he  says  had  its  rise  in  these  parts  from  Mr.  Whitefield, 
who  was  followed  by  Mr.  Tennant,  and  others.  And 
before  he  cited  any  Scripture  against  it,  he  mentioned 
their  law  against  it  in  Connecticut,  which  he  observed 
had  been  printed  in  one  of  the  Boston  papers.  After 
which  he  produced  what  is  said  in  the  Scriptures  con- 
cerning idle  disorderly  walkers,  who  eat  the  bread  of 


J 


1743. J  RESTRICTIONS    DEFENDED.  157 

Others  for  naught.  2  Thess.  iii.  6 — 11.  And  then  he 
mentioned  the  caution  against  being  busybodies  in  other 
men's  matters.  1  Pet.  iv.  15.  But  this  could  not  an- 
swer his  turn,  without  mending  the  translation,  and  ob- 
serving that  the  word  busybody  is  episcopos,  which  is 
often  translated  bishop ;  and  the  evil  here  warned  against, 
he  says,  is  *'  One  that  plays  the  bishop  in  another's  dio- 
cess."*  But  it  is  well  known,  that  the  word  means  an 
overseer,  and  is  so  rendered  in  Acts  xx.  28.  A  busybody 
then  is  an  overseer  in  the  affairs  of  others,  and  in  the  two 
scriptures  which  he  produced,  it  is  applied  to  Christians 
in  general,  and  is  not  confined  to  ministers.  All  should 
take  heed  that  they  do  not  intermeddle  with  the  affairs  of 
others,  which  do  not  belong  to  them.  Two  other  scrip- 
tures he  brings  which  belong  to  ministers,  that  condemn 
the  commending  of  themselves,  and  entering  into  the  line 
of  others,  and  the  building  upon  another  man's  founda- 
tion. 2  Cor.  X.  12 — 17.  Rom.  xv.  20.  And  these  are' 
his  scriptures  to  prove  that  a  minister  ought  not  to 
preach  in  any  parish  where  another  was  settled  by  the 
laws  of  men,  without  his  consent.!  But  all  ought  to 
know,  that  the  line  of  conduct  which  God  has  drawn  in 
his  word,  and  the  foundation  which  he  has  laid  for  his 
church,  is  as  high  above  all  establishments  for  worship  by 
human  laws,  as  heaven  is  above  the  earth.  And  the 
reader  will  judge  whether  the  above  application  of  those 
scriptures  to  worldly  establishments,  is  not  corrupting 
the  word  of  God.  For  travelling  preachers  of  the  gospel 
through  the  world,  were  the  great  means  that  God  made 
use  of,  to  lay  the  foundation  of  the  Christian  church,  ii^ 
the  apostolic  age.  And  travelling  preaching  hath  often 
been  blessed  for  the  good  of  souls  in  every  age,  and  in 
every  country  vvrhere  the  gospel  has  come. 

Another  thing  which  Dr.  Chauncy  complains  of,  as  of 
a  dangerous  tendency,  is  a  spirit  of  rash  and  censorious 
judging;  this  he  says  first  appeared  in  Mr.  Whitefield, 
who  seldom  preached,  but  he  had  something  or  other  in 


*  Chauncy's  Thoughts,  p.  36 — 42. 
I  p.  43--45. 

14 


158  CHURCH    HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.      [CH.  IX. 

his  sermon  against  unconverted  ministers.  Chauncy  says, 
**I  freely  confess,  had  the  ministers  of  New  England  lost 
their  character  as  men  of  religion,  by  a  deportment  of 
themselves  contradictory  to  the  gospel,  1  should  have 
found  no  fault  with  any  representation  of  them  as  bad 
men;  nay,  dangerous  enemies  to  the  kingdom  of  Christ: 
for  I  am  clearly  of  the  mind,  that  a  visibly  wicked  minis- 
ter is  the  greatest  scandal  to  religion,  and  plague  to  the 
church  of  God ;  nor  is  it  a  hurt,  but  a  real  service  to  the 
cause  of  Christ,  to  expose  the  characters  of  such,  and 
lessen  their  power  to  do  mischief."*  But  to  prove  that 
their  character  was  good,  he  recites  the  words  of  Dr. 
Cotton  Mather,  who  said,  *'  No  man  becomes  a  minister 
in  our  churches,  till  he  first  be  a  communicant ;  and  no 
man  becomes  a  communicant,  until  he  hath  been  severely 
examined  about  his  regeneration,  as  well  as  his  conver- 
sation."! 

But  when  was  it  so  ?  This  testimony  was  published 
in  1696;  but  four  years  after  Mr.  Stoddard  published  his 
opinion,  that  if  men  were  not  openly  scandalous,  they 
ought  to  come  to  communion  in  the  church,  though  they 
knew  themselves  to  be  unregenerate ;  and  this  opinion 
had  spread  over  the  whole  country  before  Mr.  Whitefield 
came  into  it.  Nay,  Dr.  Chauncy  himself  said  afterwards, 
**  The  divinely  appointed  way,  in  which  persons  become 
members  of  the  visible  church  of  Christ,  is  utterly  incon- 
sistent with  the  supposition,  that,  in  order  to  their  being 
so,  they  must  be  subjects  of  saving  faith,  or  judged  to 
be  so."J  So  that  out  of  his  own  mouth  he  is  con- 
demned. 

An  uncharitable  and  censorious  spirit  is  ever  to  be  watch- 
ed against,  much  of  which  appeared  in  that  day  among 
all  orders  of  men.  And  Dr.  Chauncy  discovered  a  large 
share  of  it,  and  he  published  many  censures  of  others, 
and  of  some  in  high  authority.  Governor  Law  of  Con- 
necticut, in  a  proclamation  for  their  annual  fast,  February 
16,  1743,  called  all  his  subjects  to  confess  and  be  hum- 

•  P.  140, 141.  fP-  ^^2. 

i  Sermong  on  breaking  of  bread,  p.  106. 


1743.]  PRESBYTERIANS    PERSECUTED.  159 

bled  for  their  sins,  which  he  said  were,  '*  The  ^eat 
neglect  and  contempt  of  the  gospel  and  the  ministry  there- 
of, and  the  prevailing  of  a  spirit  of  error,  disorder,  un- 
peaceableness,  pride,  bitterness,  uncharitableness,  censo- 
riousness,  disobedience,  calumniating  and  reviling  of 
authority  ;  divisions,  contentions,  separations,  and  confu- 
sions in  churches  ;  injustice,  idleness,  evil-speaking,  lasci- 
viousness,  and  all  other  vices  and  impieties  which  abound 
among  us."  This  Chauncy  has  inserted  in  his  book.* 
This  proclamation  was  published  so  early  as  to  have  influ- 
ence in  their  election  of  rulers ;  and  Deacon  Hezekiah 
Huntington  of  Norwich,  who  had  been  one  of  their  coun- 
cil three  years,  was  then  left  out  of  it,  and  a  man  was 
elected  in  his  room,  who  had  sent  men  to  prison  for 
preaching  and  exhorting  the  year  before.  Huntington 
had  been  greatly  engaged  in  the  reformation  then  going 
on  in  the  land,  and  he  continued  steadfast  therein  all  his 
days. 

A.  new  church  had  been  formed  in  New  Haven,  and 
another  at  Milford,  which  had  been  tolerated  by  their 
county  court,  and  they  had  put  themselves  undexthe^care 
of  a  pres{)\tery  In  New  Jersey.  But  the  legislature  that 
met  at  Hartford  in  May,  1743,  enacted,  **That  those 
commonK-  called  Presbyterians  or  Congregationalists  shall 
not  take  benefit  of  the  act  of  toleration."  And  they  also 
declared  that  no  other  dissenters  from  the  established  way 
of  worship,  but  such  as  should  "  Before  the  Assembly 
take  the  oaths  and  subscribe  the  declaration  provided  in 
the  act  of  Parliament,  in  cases  of  like  nature,  should  be 
tolerated."  Mr.  John  Owen  of  Groton,  was  complained 
of  for  preaching  against  their  laws  in  April  before  ;  there- 
fore he  was  ordered  to  be  brou^^ht  before  the  legislature 
at  their  next  session. 

In  the  mean  time  a  Presbyterian  minister  was  sent 
from  the  Jerseys,  to  preach  to  said  societies  in  Milford 
and  New  Haven  ;  and  for  preaching  at  Milford,  he  was 
taken  up  by  authority,  and  carried  as  a  vagrant  person  out 
of  their  government.     But  when  he  was  let  go,  he  came 

*  His  Thoughts,  p.  295,  296. 


160  CHURCH     HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.      [cH.  IX 

back  and  preached  at  New  Haven.  And  as  the  people 
<  oncealed  him  on  week-days,  an  officer  came  on  a  Lord's- 
day  morning  and  seized  him  at  their  meeting-house  door, 
and  carried  him  away.  Yet  he  returned  again  and 
preached  to  the  people ;  an  account  of  which  was  laid 
before  their  legislature  in  October  following,  when  it  was 
enacted,  that  any  minister  who  should  do  so  again,  should 
be  imprisoned  until  he  should  give  a  hundred  pound 
bond  not  to  do  so  any  more.  Such  was  their  treatment 
of  a  minister  of  Christ,  whose  name  and  title  since  was 
Samuel  Finley,  D.  D.  President  of  New  Jersey  College. 

As  Mr.  Owen  avoided  being  taken,  and  like  complaints 
were  exhibited  against  Mr.  Pomroy,  both  were  ordered 
to  be  brought  before  the  assembly  the  next  May.  Ac- 
cordingly, at  their  meeting  at  Hartford,  May  10,  1744, 
Owen  came  with  an  humble  confession,  and  they  forgave 
him,  he  paying  costs.  Pomroy  was  brought,  and  stood 
trial  for  some  hours;  but  he  was  condemned,  and  ordered 
to  be  committed,  till  he  would  pay  costs,  and  bind  him- 
self for  one  year,  in  a  recognizance  of  fifty  pounds,  not  to 
offend  again  in  like  manner.  He  then  yielded  to  their 
requirements.  And  Mr.  James  Devenport,  who  had  gone 
as  far  in  condemning  the  settled  ministers,  and  in  pro- 
moting separations  from  them,  as  any  minister  in  these 
parts,  wrote  a  retraction  of  those  things,  and  sent  it  to 
Boston,  where  Mr.  Prince  published  it,  in  September, 
1744.*  After  which,  scarce  any  settled  minister  in  New 
England  ventured  to  preach  in  any  parish,  without  the 
consent  of  the  settled  minister. 

Yet  Mr.  Edwards  had  before  said,  *'  If  ministers  preach 
never  so  good  doctrine,  and  are  never  so  painful  and  la- 
borious in  their  work,  yet  if,  at  such  a  day  as  this,  they 
shew  to  the  people  that  they  are  not  well  affected  to  this 
work,  but  are  very  doubtful  and  suspicious  of  it,  they 
will  be  very  likely  to  do  their  people  a  great  deal  more 
hurt  than  good  :  for  the  very  fame  of  such  a  great  and 
extraordinary  work  of  God,  if  their  people  were  suffered 
to  believe  it  to  be  his,  and  the  example  of  other  towns, 

*  Christian  History,  vol.  ii.  p.  237—240. 


/745.]  MR.    ELISHA    PAINE.  161 

together  with  what  preaching  they  might  hear  occasion- 
ally, would  be  likely  to  have  a  much  greater  influence 
upon  the  minds  of  the  people,  to  awaken  and  animate 
them  in  religion,  than  all  their  labours  with  them.  And 
we  that  are  ministers,  by  looking  on  this  work  from  year 
to  year,  with  a  displeased  countenance,  shall  efl^ectually 
keep  the  sheep  from  their  pasture,  instead  of  doing  the 
part  of  shepherds  to  them,  by  feeding  them ;  and  our 
people  had  a  great  deal  better  be  without  any  settled  mi- 
nister at  all,  at  such  a  day  as  this.  The  times  of  Christ^s 
remarkably  appearing  in  behalf  of  his  church,  and  to  re- 
vive religion,  and  advance  his  kingdom  in  the  world,  are 
often  spoken  of  in  the  prophecies  of  Scripture,  as  times 
wherein  he  will  remarkably  execute  judgment  on  such 
miitisters  or  shepherds  as  do  not  feed  the  flock,  but 
hinder  their  being  fed,  and  so  deliver  his  flock  from 
them,  as  Jer.  xxiii.  Ezek.  xxxiv.  Zech.  x.  Isa.  xlvi. 
&c."*  How  solemn  are  these  considerations  !  And  we 
have  before  seen,  that  Dr.  Increase  Mather,  in  the  year 
1700,  said,  **  If  the  began  apostasy  should  proceed  as 
fast  the  next  thirty  years  as  it  has  done  these  last, 
surely  it  will  come  to  that  in  New  England,  that  the  most 
conscientious  people  therein  will  think  themselves  con- 
cerned to  gather  churches  out  of  churches."  And  though 
he  knew  not  the  exact  time,  yet  this  came  to  pass  in 
forty-five  years  in  the  following  manner. 


CHAPTER  X. 

Of  Canterbury  separation — Association  letter  against  it — But  sepa- 
rations multiply,  though  persecuted — The  work  at  Middleborough  * 
— Of  President  Edwards — Of  Mr.  Whitefield — Robbins  persecuted, 
but  delivered — Sufferings  at  Norwich  and  Canterbury. 

Mr.  Elisha  Paine  was  born  in  Eastham,  on   Cape 
Cod,  and  was  well  instructed  in  the  principles  of  thfe 

*  Edwards' Thoughts,  1742,  p.  133—136. 
14* 


162  CHURCH   HISTORY   OF   NEW   ENGLAND.        [CH.  X. 

first  church  in  Plymouth,  and  was  well  established  there- 
in. His  father  removed  his  family  to  Canterbury,  in 
Connecticut,  and  was  one  of  the  men  who  formed  a 
church  there  in  1711.  He  had  four  sons,  whom  he 
brought  up  in  the  nurture  and  admonition  of  the  Lord  ; 
and  they  appeared  to  be  acquainted  with  experimental 
religion.  His  son  Elisha  was  become  one  of  the  greatest 
lawyers  in  Connecticut,  and  was  much  prospered  in  the 
world,  before  the  law  was  made  in  1742,  to  imprison 
men  for  preachi^ig  the  gospel ;  but  he  then  quitted  their 
courts,  and  went  forth  preaching  the  gospel  through  the 
land.  The  church  in  Canterbury  was  then  without  a 
pastor ;  and  on  January  27,  1743,  they  voted  to  adhere 
to  the  Cambridge  platform  instead  of  that  of  Say  brook. 
Soon  after,  Mr.  Elisha  Paine  set  off  in  preaching  the 
gospel  to  the  northward;  but  for  preaching  in  Wood- 
stock, which  then  belonged  to  Massachusetts,  he  was 
taken  up,  in  February,  and  was  sent  to  Worcester  jail, 
under  pretence  of  his  breaking  a  law  against  mocking  or 
mimicking  of  preaching.  But  four  ministers  in  Con- 
necticut, being  informed  of  it,  gave  a  certificate,  that  they 
esteemed  him  to  be  qualified  to  preach  the  gospel.  In 
May  the  court  at  Worcester  were  forced  to  release  him, 
as  having  been  imprisoned  without  law ;  and  he  went 
round  preaching  the  gospel  for  about  a  fortnight,  and 
then  returned  home.  On  July  8,  he  set  off  again,  and 
travelled  to  Providence,  Bristol,  Boston,  Cambridge,  and 
as  far  northward  as  Dimstable  and  Lancaster,  preaching 
with  great  power.  He  returned  home  December  3,  hav- 
ing preached  two  hundred  and  forty-four  sermons,  as  ap- 
pears by  his  journal.  In  Jime,  1744,  he  went  and 
preached  at  Eastham  and  Harwich,  which  caused  a  sepa- 
ration, and  then  a  Baptist  church  in  Harwich.  Upon  his 
return  to  Canterbury,  a  division  took  place  there  in  the 
following  manner :  The  parish  had  called  a  young  minis- 
ter to  preach  to  them,  by  whom  most  of  the  church  were 
not  edified.  The  parish  therefore  called  a  committee  of 
their  association  in  August  to  give  advice  in  the  case. 
Mr.  Paine  was  requested  to  give  them  his  objections 
against  said  candidate ;  but  he  woidd  not,  because  thev 


1744.]  SEPARATION    AT    CANTERBURY.  163 

were  not  called  by  the  church.  Another  member  gave 
them  a  copy  of  the  vote  of  the  church  against  him,  which 
they  called  the  act  of  the  aggrieved  part  of  the  church ; 
and  they  advised  the  parish  to  go  on  and  settle  said  can- 
didate. For  this,  Mr.  Paine  wrote  to  one  of  those  mi- 
nisters in  September  a  sharp  reproof  for  wronging  the 
truth  in  calling  that  a  part  of  the  church,  which  was  the 
church  itself.  Upon  this  he  was  seized  and  imprisoned 
at  Windham  before  the  month  was  out,  for  preaching  in 
Windham  the  spring  before,  without  the  consent  of  pa- 
rish ministers.  Mr.  Paine  gave  bonds  to  the  jail-keeper, 
so  as  to  have  liberty  to  preach  in  the  yard ;  and  he  soon 
had  so  large  a  congregation  to  hear  him,  that  his  perse- 
cutors found  they  weakened  their  own  cause  by  confining 
him  there.  They  therefore  released  him  about  Octo- 
ber 19. 

In  the  mean  time,  as  the  church  in  Canterbury  had  no 
other  way  to  avoid  hearing  a  man  who  did  not  edify  them, 
they  withdrew  from  their  meeting-house,  and  met  at 
another  house.  And  John  and  Ebenezer  Cleaveland, 
members  of  it,  as  they  also  were  of  Yale  College ;  being 
at  home  in  vacation  time,  met  for  worship  with  their  own 
church  ;  but  for  nothing  but  so  domg  they  were  expelled 
from  the  college.  And  Mr.  Paine  was  repeatedly  cited 
to  appear  before  the  ministers  of  that  county,  to  answer 
to  complaints  they  had  received  against  him;  but  he 
knew  them  too  well  to  submit  himself  to  their  power. 
Twelve  of  them  met  in  November,  and  published  a  testi- 
mony against  him  in  a  newspaper.  And  near  all  the 
ministers  in  Windham  county  met  and  published  a  letter 
to  their  people,  dated  December  11,  1744,  signed  by 
Joseph  Coite,  Ebenezer  Williams,  Joseph  Meacham, 
Samuel  Dorrance,  Solomon  Williams,  Jacob  Eliot,  Mar- 
ston  Cabot,  Samuel  Mosely,  Ephraim  Avery,  Ebenezer 
Devotion,  Eleazar  Wheelock,  Abel  Stiles,  Stephen 
White,  John  Bass,  Richard  Salter,  William  Throope. 
They  brought  Deut.  xiii.  1 — 3,  as  a  warning  to  their 
people  against  hearing  Mr.  Paine  and  his  brethren,  and 
Ihen  said,  *'  The  case  here  supposed  is  an  attempt  to 
draw  the  people  to  idolatry,  and  this,  you  will  say,  is  not 


164  CHURCH    HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.       [CH.  X. 

your  case.  These  prophets  and  dreamers  endeavour  to 
draw  you  to  Christ,  and  not  from  him  ;  but  then  they 
endeavour  to  draw  you  from  his  institutions,  to  a  way  of 
worship  which  he  has  not  instituted.  Though  the  case 
is  not  so  strong,  yet  the  argument  against  your  compli- 
ance is  the  same ;  for  whatsoever  worship  God  has  not 
instituted  and  directed  in  his  word,  is  false  worship,  and 
therefore  if  there  seem  to  be  never  so  many  appearances 
of  God's  power  attending  it,  you  may  not  go  after  it,  any 
more  than  after  a  false  god."* 

Upon  which  we  may  observe,  that  Christ  calls  the  field 
the  world,  and  says  of  the  wheat  and  tares,  **  Let  both 
grow  together  until  the  harvest."  But  he  says  to  his 
church,  "  Put  away  from  among  yourselves  that  wicked 
person."  Yet  these  ministers  held  the  field  to  be  the 
church,  and  that  Christ  would  not  let  his  servants  root  up 
the  tares,  "even  when  they  appeared^^  But  how  far  is 
such  worship  from  the  instituted  church  of  Christ!  Yea, 
while  they  were  for  having  the  tares  grow  in  the  church, 
they  would  not  let  the  children  of  God  grow  peaceably  in 
the  world,  but  took  up  and  imprisoned  many  of  them. 

On  November  27,  1744,  the  church  of  Canterbury  met, 
and  sixteen  members  against  twenty-three  voted  to  send 
for  their  consociation  to  come  and  ordain  the  candidate 
whom  the  parish  had  chosen  ;  and  they  met  there  for  that 
purpose  on  December  26 ;  but  not  having  the  majority  of 
the  church  for  him,  they  could  not  proceed  according  to 
their  own  laws.  At  length  they  called  the  parish  together, 
and  got  them  to  vote,  that  they  were  willing  their  legis- 
lature should  set  off  those  who  did  not  choose  their  can- 
didate, as  a  distinct  religious  society ;  and  so  went  on  and 
ordained  him  as  the  minister  of  that  parish.  But  as  the 
church  did  not  desire  any  new  incorporation  by  the  laws 
of  men,  but  only  petitioned  to  be  exempted  from  taxes  to 
a  minister  they  never  chose,  their  petition  was  disregarded, 
their  goods  were  torn  away,  or  their  persons  imprisoned 
for  his  support  for  fifteen  years,  without  the  least  com- 
passion from  the  ministers  who  acted  in  that  ordination. 

*  Association  letter,  p.  43  f  P.  21. 


1746.]  NEW    CHURCHES   ORGANIZED.  165 

These,  and  many  other  things,  moved  a  number  of  teachers 
and  brethren  to  meet  at  Mansfield,  October  9,  1745,  and 
form  a  new  church  ;  and  they  elected  Mr.  Thomas  Marsh        I 

of  Windham  to  be  their  pastor,  and  appointed  his  ordina-   1 

tion  to  be  on  January  6,  1746.  But  he  was  seized  the 
day  before,  and  was  imprisoned  at  Windham,  for  preach- 
ing without  leave  from  parish  ministers.  On  the  day  he 
was  to  have  been  ordained,  a  large  assembly  met,  to  wj^m 
Mr.  Elisha  Paine  preached  a  good  sermon,  at  the  close  of 
which  about  thirteen  parish  ministers  came  up,  and  tried 
all  their  influence  to  scatter  that  flock,  whose  shepherd 
had  been  smitten ;  though,  instead  of  it,  they  elected  and 
ordained  Mr.  John  Hovey  as  their  pastor  the  next  month. 
Mr.  Marsh  was  confined  in  prison  till  June,  and  then 
their  court  released  him,  and  in  July  he  was  ordained  as 
a  colleague  with  Mr.  Hovey ;  and  many  such  churches 
were  soon  after  formed  and  organized.* 

What  our  Lord  says  about  putting  a  piece  of  new  cloth 
into  an  old  garment,  and  new  wine  into  old  bottles,  was 

•  Mr.  Solomon  Paine  was  ordained  at  Canterbury,  September  10; 
Thomas  Stevens  at  Plainfield,  September  1 1 ;  Thomas  Dennison  at 
Norwich  farms,  October  29 ;  Jedidiah  Hide  at  Norwich  town,  Octo- 
ber 30  ;  Matthew  Smith  at  Stonington,  December  10;  John  Fuller 
at  Lyme,  December  25;  Joseph  Snow  at  Providence,  February  12, 
1747;  Samuel  Wadsworth  at  Killingly,  June  .T;  Paul  Park  at  Pres- 
ton, July  15;  Elihu  Marsh,  at  Windham,  October  7  ;  Ebenezer  Froth- 
ingham  at  Weathersfield,  October  28;  Nathanael  Shepard  in  Attle- 
borough,  January  20,  1748;  Isaac  Backus  at  Bridgwater,  April  13; 
John  Paine  at  Rehoboth,  August  3 ;  William  Carpenter  at  Norton, 
September  7 ;  John  Blunt  at  Sturbridge,  September  28 ;  Ebenezet 
Mack  at  Lyme,  January  12,  1749;  Joshua  Nickerson  at  Harwicli, 
February  23 ;  Samuel  Hide  at  Bridgwater,  May  1 1 ;  John  Palmer  at 
Windham,  May  17;  Samuel  Hcrvey  at  Mendon,  May  31;  Samuel 
Drown  at  Coventry,  October  1 1 ;  Stephen  Babcock  at  Westerly,  April 
4,  1750;  Joseph  Hastings  at  Suffield,  April  17;  Nathanael  Ewer  at 
Barnstable,  May  10;  Joshua  Morse  at  New  London,  May  17;  Jona- 
than Hide  at  Brookline,  January  17,  1751;  Ezekiel  Cole  at  Sutton, 
January  31  ;  Ebenezer  Wadsworth  at  Grafton,  March  20;  Shubaef 
Stearns  at  Tolland,  March  20;  Nathanael  Draper  at  Cambridge, 
April  24;  Peter  Werden  at  Warwick,  May  17,  &c. 

Those  in  Italic  became  Baptists  afterwards;  Drown,  Babcock, 
Morse,  Stearns,  Draper,  and  Werden  were  ao  l)efore. 


166  CHURCH    HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.        [uH.  X. 

remarkably  verified  at  this  time.  Great  numbers  of  young 
converts  had  joined  to  their  old  churches  ;  but  a  regard  to 
the  pure  laws  of  Christ,  from  the  new  wine  of  love  to 
God  and  love  to  men,  could  not  be  contained  in  churches 
which  were  governed  by  the  laws  and  inventions  of  men, 
obeyed  from  the  love  of  worldly  honour  and  gain,  or  a 
desire  to  get  life  by  their  own  doing,  any  more  than  a 
piece  of  new  cloth  could  agree  with  an  old  garment,  or 
new  wine  could  be  contained  in  old  bottles.  Instead 
of  it,  the  rent  was  made  worse,  or  the  bottles  were 
broken. 

The  consociation  of  Windham  county  met  in  January, 
1747,  and  received  accounts  of  these  transactions,  and 
then  adjourned  a  month,  and  sent  citations  to  Mr.  Paine, 
and  others  of  those  ministers,  to  appear  before  the  lawful 
ministers  of  their  parishes,  or  a  committee  of  their  council, 
to  offer  what  they  had  to  say  in  vindication  of  themselves. 
But  they  were  far  from  an  inclination  to  submit  themselves 
to  such  judges.  When  said  consociation  met  again,  they 
published  a  copy  of  the  confession  of  faith  and  covenant 
of  the  new  church  in  Mansfield,  and  their  objection >} 
against  the  same,  and  their  judgment  against  all  those 
new  churches,  and  got  these  things  printed  at  Boston,  in 
a  pamphlet  of  twenty-two  octavo  pages.  To  these  means 
were  added  the  imprisonment  of  Mr.  Frothingham  five 
months,  Mr.  John  Paine  eleven  months,  and  Mr.  Palmer 
four  months,  all  at  Hartford,  for  preaching  without  the 
consent  of  parish  ministers.  Mr.  Solomon  Paine  suf- 
fered imprisonment  also  at  Windham  for  a  fortnight,  on 
the  same  account,  and  many  others  suffered  the  like. 
And  three  gentlemen,  only  for  being  members  and  deacons 
in  these  separate  churches,  were,  at  different  times,  ex- 
pelled out  of  their  legislature,  namely.  Captain  Obadiah 
Johnson,  of  Canterbury,  Captain  Thomas  Stevens,  of 
Plainfield,  and  Captain  Nathan  Jewet,  of  Lyme.  But 
overstraining  their  power  weakened  it,  and  it  began  to 
decline ;  for  Deacon  Hezekiah  Huntington  was  again 
elected  into  their  council  at  Hartford  in  May,  1748 ;  and 
he  continued  in  that  office,  and  was  alsof  judge  of  probate, 
and  chief  judge  of  their  county  court,  until  he  died  in 


1747.]  CASE    OF   MIDDLEBOROUGH.  167 

1773.     These  things  were  done  in  Connecticut;  but  we 
must  now  return  to  the  affairs  of  Massachusetts. 

Mr.  Peter  Thatcher  was  the  third  minister  of  Middle- 
borough,  where  he  began  to  preach  in  1707,  and  he  was 
much  engaged  in  that  work,  especially  in  and  after  the 
glorious  year  1741 ;  and  his  success  was  so  great  that 
there  were  above  three  hundred  and  forty  communicants 
in  his  church  when  he  died,  April  22,  1744.*  But  the 
parish  committee,  direcdy  after  his  death,  exerted  all  their 
influence  against  the  church,  about  calling  another  minis- 
ter. And  when  the  church  had  voted  to  hear  Mr.  Syl- 
vanus  Conant  four  Sabbaths  upon  probation,  the  parish 
committee  went  and  got  another  man  to  preach  there  the 
same  days ;  so  that  the  church  withdrew,  and  met  at 
another  place  till  his  probation  time  was  out,  and  then 
elected  him  for  their  pastor,  and  presented  their  choice  to 
the  parish.  Upon  this,  said  committee  made  a  new  regu- 
lation of  voters,  wherein  they  excluded  seven  or  eight  old 
voters,  and  made  about  nineteen  new  ones ;  and  they 
negatived  the  choice  of  the  church.  But  the  church  sent 
for  a  council  of  five  other  churches  to  settle  the  matter ; 
and  by  their  hplp  Mr.  Conant  was  ordained  their  pastor, 
March  28,  1745.  Yet  less  than  a  quarter  of  the  church 
called  themselves  the  standing  part  of  it,  and  went  on  and 
ordained  another  minister  the  next  October,  and  held  the 
old  house  and  ministerial  land,  and  taxed  all  the  parish 
for  his  support.  The  church  built  another  meetmg-house, 
and  went  on  to  support  their  minister ;  but  such  a  party 
spirit  prevailed,  even  in  their  legislature,  that  they  could 
get  no  relief  from  thence  in  about  four  years.  Though 
such  a  turn  was  then  made,  that  the  parish  was  divided 
into  two  promiscuously,  and  each  man  had  liberty  to 
choose  which  he  would  be  of,  and  each  was  to  support  "^ 
his  own  minister.  When  this  liberty  was  obtained,  the 
opposing  party  were  soon  sick  of  the  minister  they  had 
ordained,  and  used  violence  against  him  until  they  got 
him  away,  and  obtained  a  dissolution  of  their  society. 
Does  not  this,  as  well  as  the  experience  of  Canterbury,  • 

•  Christian  History,  vol.  ii.  p.  77—79.  99. 


168  CHURCH    HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.        [CH.   X. 

show  the  great  evil  of  allowing  the  world  to  govern  the 
church  about  religious  ministers  ? 

And  where  church  and  world  are  one,  it  is  no  better, 
as  now  appeared  at  Northampton.  The  excellent  Mr. 
Edwards  was  settled  there,  with  his  grandfather  Stod- 
dard, upon  the  opinion  that  the  Lord's  supper  was  a  con- 
verting ordinance,  and  he  had  gone  on  fifteen  years  in 
that  way,  until  he  was  fully  convinced  that  it  was  con- 
trary to  the  word  of  God ;  and  he  also  found  that  gospel 
discipline  could  not  be  practised  in  such  a  way.  No 
sooner  was  his  change  of  mind  discovered,  in  1744,  than 
most  of  his  people  were  inflamed  against  him,  and  never 
would  give  him  a  hearing  upon  the  reasons  of  his  change 
ol  sentiments ;  but  they  were  resolute  to  have  him  dis- 
missed. As  he  could  not  get  them  to  hear  him  preach 
upon  the  subject,he  printed  his  thoughts  upon  it,  in  1749, 
though  most  of  them  would  not  read  his  book.  In  it  he 
says,  **  that  baptism,  by  which  the  primitive  converts 
were  admitted  into  the  church,  was  used  as  an  exhibition 
and  token  of  their  being  visibly  regenerated^  dead  to  sin, 
aiid  alive  to  God.  The  saintship,  godliness,  and  holiness 
of  which,  according  to  Scripture,  professing  Christians 
and  visible  saints  do  make  a  profession  and  have  a  visi- 
bility, is  not  any  religion  and  virtue  that  is  the  result  of 
common  grace,  or  moral  sincerity,  (as  it  is  called,)  but 
saving  grace,^^  And  to  prove  this,  he  referred  to  Rom. 
ii.  29;  vi.  1—4.  Phil.  iii.  3.  Col.  ii.  11,  12.*  Though 
he  did  not  design  it,  yet  many  others  have  been  made 
Baptists  by  the  same  scriptures,  and  the  same  ideas  from 
them.  But  Mr.  Stoddard's  doctrine  had  prevailed  so  far 
in  that  part  of  the  country,  that  in  all  the  county  of  Hamp- 
sliire,  which  then  included  all  our  state  west  of  Worcester 
county,  not  less  than  sixty  miles  wide  and  seventy  miles 
long,  there  were  but  three  ministers  who  did  not  hold 
that  doctrine;  and  the  church  at  Northampton  denied  Mr. 
Edwards  the  liberty  of  going  out  of  that  county,  for  any 
of  those  whom  he  was  to  choose  to  settle  their  contro- 
r&f^j.     At  last  they  yielded  that  he  might  go  out  of  that 

♦  On  a  right  to  Sacraments,  p.  20—23. 


1745.]  OPPOSITION    TO    WHITEFIELD.  169 

county  for  two,  as  each  party  was  to  choose  five.  But 
when  the  council  met,  in  June,  1750,  one  of  the  churches 
whom  Mr.  Edwards  sent  to.  had  sent  no  delegate  to  the 
council,  though  their  minister  came  and  acted  in  the 
council,  so  that  by  the  majority  of  one  vote,  Mr.  Ed- 
wards was  separated  from  the  flock  he  dearly  loved. 
Thus  one  of  the  best  men  in  our  land  was  rejected  from 
his  place  and  employment,  only  for  coming  into  the  be- 
lief that  a  profession  of  saving  faith  was  necessary  in  all 
who  came  into  communion  in  the  church  of  Christ.  But 
as  this  was  evidendy  a  good  cause,  so  God  was  with  him 
in  it,  so  that  he  afterwards  wrote  a  book  which  opened 
the  true  nature  of  the  liberty  of  the  will  of  moral  agents, 
beyond  any  thing  that  ever  was  published  in  latter  ages ; 
and  that  and  many  other  works  of  his  are  still  greatly 
esteemed  in  Europe,  as  well  as  America.  He  was  very 
useful  in  the  ministry,  until  he  died  President  of  New 
Jersey  College,  March  22,  1758,  in  his  56th  year. 

Mr.  Whitefield  came  a  second  time  into  New  England, 
in  the  fall  of  1744 ;  when  such  opposition  appeared 
against  him,  as  never  was  seen  before  against  any  minis- 
ter of  the  gospel  in  our  land.  The  Corporation  of  Har- 
vard College  soon  published  a  testimony  against  him, 
which  was  followed  with  one  from  an  association  of  mi- 
nisters at  Weymouth,  and  another  at  Marlborough,  with  a 
third  in  the  county  of  Barnstable,  besides  many  indivi- 
duals ;  and  in  February,  1745,  Yale  College  did  the  like, 
and  represented  that  he  intended  to  root  out  all  the  stand- 
ing ministers  in  our  land,  and  to  introduce  foreigners  in 
their  stead.  This  was  so  opposite  to  truth,  that  all  his 
life  was  evidently  spent  in  labouring  for  the  conversion 
and  edification  of  precious  souls,  while  he  left  the  building 
and  government  of  churches  to  others ;  though  when  per- 
sons were  brought  to  a  saving  knowledge  of  Christ,  they 
could  not  be  easy  under  teachers  who  were  strangers  to 
him,  for  he  says,  *'  A  stranger  will  they  not  follow,  but 
will  flee  from  him ;  for  they  know  not  the  voice  of 
strangers."  And  if  many  ministers  in  our  land  had  not 
been  strangers  to  Christ,  how  could  they  have  acted  as 
they  did  ? 

15 


170  CHURCH    HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.         [CH.  X. 

Those  who  had  cast  Mr.  Robbins  out  of  their  consocia- 
tion, for  preaching  to  the  Baptists  without  their  consent, 
could  not  let  him  alone ;  because  while  he  continued  a 
pastor  of  the  first  church  in  Branford,  and  yet  was  not 
with  them,  it  weakened  their  power.  Therefore,  in  May, 
1743,  they  received  a  complaint  against  him,  signed  by 
six  of  his  people  ;  and  they  appointed  a  committee  to  go 
to  him  upon  it,  before  he  knew  who  the  complainants 
were,  or  what  they  complained  of.  But  when  he  found 
who  they  were,  he  went  and  gave  them  satisfaction,  and 
they  wrote  an  account  of  it  to  said  committee,  but  they 
would  come,  and  insisted  upon  it,  that  Mr.  Robbins  must 
go  and  be  reconciled  to  their  association.  This  he  tried 
for  without  success.  Yet,  seeing  what  a  storm  was 
gathering,  he  drew  three  confessions,  and  went  to  another 
of  their  meetings,  and  offered  them,  wherein  he  went  as 
^  far  as  he  could  towards  giving  them  satisfaction,  short  of 
confessing  that  he  broke  the  law  of  God  in  preaching  to 
those  Baptists  as  he  did.  But  as  he  could  not  in  con- 
science confess  that,  they  rejected  all  his  confessions. 
And  in  May,  1745,  they  received  a  larger  complaint 
against  him,  without  his  having  any  previous  notice  of  it, 
and  another  committee  was  sent  to  him,  who  prevailed 
with  him  to  go  and  offer  a  fourth  confession  to  their  as- 
sociation, wherein  he  pleaded  that  his  ignorance  of  its 
being  a  crime  to  preach  to  the  Baptists  as  he  did,  might 
apologize  for  him,  so  that  a  reconciliation  might  be 
effected  with  them,  and  among  his  people.  But  they 
refused  to  be  satisfied  with  any  thing  short  of  his  confess- 
ing that  he  broke  the  law  of  God  in  preaching  to  the 
Baptists  against  their  consent.  He  then  went  home  and 
laid  this  confession  before  his  society,  who  voted  that  it 
was  sufficient,  and  they  desired  him  to  continue  in  the 
ministry  with  them,  and  also  that  no  councils  or  commit- 
tees might  be  sent  there  again  without  their  request.  And 
his  church  met  November  4,  1745,  and  renounced  the 
Saybrook  platform,  and  said,  "  We  receive  the  Scriptures 
of  the  Old  and  New  Testament,  as  the  only  perfect  rule 
and   platform  of  church   government  and  discipline ;" 


1747.]  PROCEEDINGS    AGAINST    MR.    ROBBINS.  171 

though  they  did  not  renounce  fellowship  with  the  conso- 
ciated  churches. 

This  was  worse  in  their  view  than  all  he  had  done  be- 
fore ;  and  a  much  larger  complaint  was  received  against 
him  than  before,  and  a  consociation  was  appointed  to  try 
It  at  Branford,  September  30,  1746  ;  and  Mr.  Robbins 
was  required  **  in  the  name  of  Christ"  to  appear  before 
them.  But  he  drew  an  answer  to  each  article  of  their 
complaint,  and  laid  them  before  his  church,  who  chose  a 
committee  to  lay  a  copy  of  their  former  votes  before  the 
consociation,  and  earnestly  to  deny  their  jurisdiction  over 
them.  This  was  accordingly  done  ;  yet  they  resolved 
that  Mr.  Robbins  was  under  their  jurisdiction,  and  went 
on  to  hear  accusations  against  him  in  his  absence,  and  to 
condemn  him  in  ten  articles  of  his  public  teaching,  with- 
out naming  any  witnesses,  or  any  time  or  place  when  or 
where  either  of  them  were  delivered.  And  concerning 
his  conduct,  they  say,  **  He  hath  led  off  a  party  with 
him,  to  rise  up  against  and  separate  from  the  ecclesiastical 
constitution  of  this  colony,  under  which  this  church  was 
peaceably  established ;  reproachfully  insinuating  in  a 
church  mooting^  that  under  the  Saybrook  platform  it  is 
king  ar'  oriation  in  opposition  to  Jesus  Christ,  the  only 
King  c  r  ti.e  church.  In  which  articles,  upon  mature  de- 
liberation, we  judge  the  said  Mr.  Robbins  is  criminally 
guilty  of  the  breach  of  the  third,  fifth,  and  ninth  com- 
mands, and  of  many  gospel  rules,  for  which  he  ought  to 
give  Christian  satisfaction,  by  making  a  confession  to  the 
acceptance  of  this  consociation."*  This  he  was  so  far 
from  doing,  that  he  published  a  narrative  of  the  whole 
affair  at  Boston,  in  which  the  reader  may  find  all  the 
above  particulars. 

The  consociation  waited  a  year,  and  then  met  on  Sep- 
tember 29,  1747,  and  after  telling  much  of  their  lenity 
and  his  obstinacy,  they  say,  *'  This  consociation  do  now 
upon  the  whole  judge  and  determine  the  said  Mr.  Rob- 
bins unworthy  the  ministerial  character  and  Christian 
communion ;  and  accordingly  do,   in  the  name  of  the 

*  Robbins*  Narrative,  p.  28,  29 


172  CHURCH   HISTORY  OP   NEW   ENGLAND.         [CH.  X. 

Lord  Jesus  Christ,  according  to  the  word  of  God,  and 
the  powers  invested  in  this  consociation  by  the  ecclesias- 
tical constitution  of  this  government,  depose  the  said  Mr. 
Philemon  Robbins  from  his  ministerial  office,  and  minis- 
terial and  pastoral  relation  to  the  first  church  in  said 
Branford,  and  debar  and  suspend  him  from  communion 
in  any  of  the  churches  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ."* 
This  is  in  an  answer  to  Mr.  Robbins,  which  they  pub- 
lished in  1748  ;  in  which  they  say  of  his  voting  with  his 
church  to  renounce  the  Say  brook  platform,  "  There  was 
no  more  validity  in  such  a  vote,  than  there  would  have 
been  in  that,  if  the  major  part  of  the  first  society  in 
Branford  had  voted  to  renounce  the  civil  government  of 
Connecticut."t  And  a  petition  was  sent  to  their  general 
court,  that  they  would  turn  Mr.  Robbins  out  of  his  meet- 
ing-house, that  a  regular  minister  might  be  settled  there- 
in. But  such  glaring  conduct  opened  their  eyes,  and 
they  ordered  a  council  to  be  called  out  of  other  counties, 
who  prevailed  with  New  Haven  consociation  to  restore 
Mr.  Robbins  to  a  seat  with  them,  which  he  held  to  his 
death  in  1781 ;  but  his  church  sent  no  messenger  with 
him.  And  their  general  court  revived  their  former  acts 
of  toleration  to  dissenters,  and  ordered  a  new  edition  of 
t^eir  laws  to  be  printed,  which  was  done  in  1750,  out  of 
which  their  late  persecuting  laws  were  left,  without  any 
express  repeal  of  them.  Governor  Wolcot  published  a 
pamphlet  against  the  Saybrook  scheme ;  and  Governor 
Fitch  endeavoured  to  explain  away  their  power,  which 
has  since  much  declined.  -^ 

An  end  was  thus  put  to  their  imprisoning  men  for  \ 
preaching ;  but  still  they  were  resolute  for  compelling  all 
to  support  those  parish  ministers.  Let  it  be  observed, 
that  the  fathers  of  Plymouth  colony  held,  that  the  minis- 
ters of  Christ  are  to  be  supported  only  by  his  laws  and 
influence,  and  not  at  all  by  the  laws  of  men  enforced  by 
the  sword  of  the  magistrate ;  and  many  who  now  came 
out  in  a  separation  from  these  churches,  descended  from 
those  Plymouth   fathers,   and  meant   conscientiously  to 

*  Answer  to  Robbins,  p.  1 17.  f  P.  86. 


1752.]  IMPRISONMENT   FOR   TAXES.  173 

follow  their  good  principles,  in  which  others  joined 
them ;  but  for  so  doing,  they  suffered  much,  for  several 
years,  until  their  oppressors  found  their  own  cause  was 
weakened  thereby,  and  so  desisted.  A  short  view  of  two 
places  may  give  a  general  view  of  the  whole. 

'The  minister  of  the  first  church  in  Norwich  was  set- 
tled in  1717,  upon  the  old  principles  of  New  England; 
but  in  1744,  he  procured  a  vote  of  the  major  part  of  the 
church,  to  admit  communicants  into  it  without  so  much 
as  a  written  account  of  any  inward  change  of  heart  at 
all.  At  the  same  time  he  openly  declared  his  attachment 
to  the  Say  brook  platform,  which  the  church  renounced 
when  they  setded  him.  Therefore  a  large  number  of  the 
church  drew  off,  and  formed  another  church,  and  settled 
another  minister ;  yet  they  were  still  taxed  to  the  old 
minister,  and  many  were  imprisoned  therefor.  Of  this,  and 
their  temper  under  their  sufferings,  a  private  letter  from 
a  widqw  of  fifty-four  years  old  may  give  some  idea. 

"  Norwich,  Nov.  4,  1752. 
"  Dear  Son, 
**  I  have  heard  something  of  the  trials  among  you  of 
late,  and  I  was  grieved  till  I  had  strength  to  give  up  the 
case  to  God,  and  leave  my  burden  there.  And  now  I 
would  tell  you  something  of  our  trials.  Your  brother 
Samuel  lay  in  prison  twenty  days.  October  15,  the  col- 
lector came  to  our  house,  and  took  me  away  to  prison 
about  nine  o'clock,  in  a  dark  rainy  night.  Brothers  Hill 
and  Sabin  were  brought  there  next  night.  We  lay  in 
prison  thirteen  days,  and  then  were  set  at  liberty,  by 
what  means  I  know  not.  Whilst  I  was  there,  a  great 
many  people  came  to  see  me ;  and  some  said  one  thing 
and  some  another.  O !  the  innumerable  snares  and  tempt- 
ations that  beset  me,  more  than  I  ever  thought  of  before  ! 
But,  O  !  the  condescension  of  Heaven  !  Though  I  was 
bound  when  I  was  cast  into  this  furnace,  yet  was  I  loosed, 
and  found  Jesus  in  the  midst  of  the  furnace  with  me.  O, 
then  I  could  give  up  my  name,  estate,  family,  life,  and 
breath,  freely  to  God.  Now  the  prison  looked  like  a 
p»iace  to  me.  I  could  bless  God  for  all  the  laughs  and 
15* 


) 


174  CHURCH    HISTORY    OF    NEW  ENGLAND.        [CH.  X. 

scoffs  made  at  me.  O  the  love  that  flowed  out  to  all 
mankind  !  Then  I  could  forgive,  as  I  would  desire  to  be 
forgiven,  and  love  my  neighbour  as  myself.  Deacon 
Griswold  was  put  in  prison  the  8th  of  October,  and  yes- 
terday old  brother  Grover,  and  [they]  are  in  pursuit  of 
others ;  all  which  calls  for  humiliation.  This  church 
hath  appointed  the  13th  of  November  to  be  spent  in 
prayer  and  fasting  on  that  account.  I  do  remember  my 
love  to  you  and  your  wife,  and  the  dear  children  of  God 
with  you,  begging  your  prayers  for  us  in  such  a  day  of 
trial.  We  are  all  in  tolerable  health,  expecting  to  see 
you.     These  from  your  loving  mother, 

"  Elizabeth  Backus." 

They  afterwards  imprisoned  her  brother  for  such  taxes, 
while  he  was  a  member  of  their  legislature ;  and  they 
went  on  in  such  ways  for  about  eight  years,  until  the 
spiritual  weapons  of  truth  and  love  vanquished  those 
carnal  weapons,  which  have  not  been  so  used  in  Norwich 
since.  And  the  same  may  be  observed  of  Canterbury. 
Mr.  Elisha  Paine  was  ordained  pastor  of  a  church  on 
Long  Island  in  May,  1752 ;  but  as  he  came  over  to  Can- 
terbury the  fall  after,  he  was  seized  and  imprisoned  at 
Windham,  November  21,  1752,  for  a  tax  to  the  minister 
whom  the  church  rejected.  Upon  which  he  said,  **  I 
cannot  but  marvel  to  see  how  soon  the  children  will  for- 
get the  sword  that  drove  their  fathers  into  this  land,  and 
take  hold  of  it  as  a  jewel,  and  kill  their  grandchildren 
therewith.  O  that  men  could  see  how  far  this  is  from 
Christ's  rule  !  that  all  things,  which  we  would  have  others 
do  unto  us,  that  we  should  do  even  so  unto  them.  I  be- 
lieve the  same  people,  who  put  this  authority  into  the 
hands  of  Mr.  Cogswell,  their  minister,  to  put  me  into 
prison  for  not  paying  him  for  preaching,  would  think  it 
very  hard  for  the  church  1  belong  to,  and  am  pastor  of, 
if  they  should  get  the  upper  hand,  and  tax  and  imprison 
him,  for  what  he  should  be  so  unjustly  taxed  at ;  and  yet 
I  can  see  no  other  difference,  only  because  the  power  is 
in  his  hands  ;  for  I  suppose  he  has  heard  me  as  often  as 
I  ever  have  him,  and  yet  he  hath  taken  from  me  by  force 


1752.]  ELISHA    PAINE    IMPRISONED.  175 

two  COWS  and  one  steer,  and  now  my  body  held  in  pri- 
son, only  because  the  power  is  in  his  hands."  And  on 
December  11,  he  wrote  to  the  assessors  of  Canterbury, 
and  reminded  them  of  the  cruelty  of  the  two  beasts  at 
Rome,  and  then  said,  **  What  your  prisoner  requests  of 
you  is,  a  clear  distinction  between  the  ecclesiastical  con- 
stitution of  Connecticut,  by  which  I  am  now  held  in  pri- 
son, and  those  thrones  or  beasts,  in  the  foundation,  con- 
stitution, and  support  thereof.  For  if  you  can  show,  by 
Scripture  and  reason,  that  they  do  not  all  stand  on  the 
throne  mentioned  in  Psalm  xciv.  20,  but  that  the  latter  is 
founded  on  the  rock  Christ  Jesus,  I  will  confess  my  fault, 
and  soon  clear  myself  of  the  prison.  But  if  this  consti- 
tution hath  its  rise  from  that  throne,  then  come  forth  to 
the  help  of  the  Lord  against  the  mighty ;  for  it  is  better 
to  die  for  Christ,  than  to  live  against  him.  From  an  old 
friend  to  this  civil  constitution,  and  long  your  prisoner. 

Elisha  Paine."* 

Five  days  after  he  was  released  ;  but  the  extremity  of  a 
severe  winter  kept  him  long  from  his  family,  who  suf- 
fered much  in  an  unfinished  house  for  want  of  his  help. 
Mr.  Solomon  Paine  published  a  book  this  year,  to  show 
*'  the  difference  between  the  church  of  Christ,  and  the 
churches  established  by  law  in  Connecticut."  And 
though  they  continued  this  oppression  until  1771,  yet 
their  minister  was  then  dismissed ;  and  many  confessed 
their  faults  in  those  oppressions,  and  equal  liberty  has 
been  enjoyed  in  Canterbury  ever  since. 

*  Mr.  Paine  continued  the  pastor  of  his  church  on  Long  Island, 
till  he  (lied,  in  1775,  aged  eighty-four. 


176  CHURCH     HISTORY    OF    NBW    ENGLAND.      [CH.  XI. 


CHAPTER  XL 

The  cause  why  Baptist  churches  increased  in  several  places,  though 
opposed  by  many — Two  who  were  against  them  die — ^The  corrup- 
tion of  many  exposed — Episcopalians  try  for  power  here — The 
great  earthquake  awakens  many — More  Baptist  churches  formed — 
A  new  revival  of  religion  among  them  and  others — Providence 
college  constituted — Light  given  about  baptism  by  Psedobaptists ; 
and  by  writings  concerning  reUgious  establishments — The  evil  of 
them  opened — Particularly  at  Boston — Universalism  exposed — 
New  revivals — Whitefield  dies — Certificate  laws  exposed — The 
war  comes  on — ^The  Baptists  unite  with  their  country  in  it— The 
Quakers  did  not 

When  religion  was  revived  in  1741,  there  were  but 
nine  Baptist  churches  in  all  Massachusetts  government, 
and  none  in  New  Hampshire  or  Vermont.  As  Paedobap- 
tist  instruments  were  chiefly  used  in  that  work,  and  the 
most  of  the  old  Baptists  were  not  clear  in  the  doctrines 
of  grace,  they  were  generally  prejudiced  against  it.  Yet 
the  great  change  that  was  then  wrought  in  many  minds, 
was  the  evident  cause  of  the  spread  of  the  Baptist  prin- 
ciples in  our  land,  which  have  increased  ever  since.  The 
subjects  of  that  work  of  grace  embraced  two  ideas  which 
produced  this  effect.  The  first  is,  that  saving  faith  is  ne- 
cessary to  give  any  soul  a  true  right  to  commtmion  in  the 
church  of  Christ.  The  second  is,  that  there  is  no  warrant 
for  a  halfway  covenant  therein.  And  as  infants  are  ge- 
nerally in  the  state  of  nature  when  they  are  said  to  be 
brought  into  covenant,  infant  baptism  expires  before  these 
principles.  Yet,  natural  affection,  education,  honour, 
gain,  and  self-righteousness,  all  conspire  together  to  pre- 
judice people  against  becoming  Baptists.  It  is  not 
strange,  therefore,  that  but  few  became  such  for  many  - 
years. 

The  pastor  of  the  Baptist  church  in  Boston  was  dark  U 
in  doctrine,  and  opposed  the  revival  of  religion  that  began 


1752.]  INCREASE    OF    BAPTIST    CHURCHES.  177 

there  in  1740  ;  therefore  a  few  of  the  church  drew  off, 
and  formed  another  church  in  1742,  and  ordained  a  pastor 
in  1743,  who  was  a  clear  preacher  of  the  gospel^  and 
many  joined  with  them  from  adjacent  towns.  A  second 
Baptist  church  was  also  formed  and  organized  in  Reho- 
both,  in  1743.  The  like  was  done  at  Stonington  in  Con- 
necticut the  same  year.  And  they  increased  so  much  in 
New  Jersey,  that  Mr.  Dickinson,  the  first  president  of 
their  college,  wrote  a  pamphlet  against  them,  which  was 
printed  both  in  New  York  and  Boston,  in  1746.  But  it 
was  sent  over  to  London,  and  Dr.  Gill  published  an 
answer  to  it  in  1749  ;  to  which  Mr.  Peter  Clark  replied 
in  1752  ;  and  this  examination  of  the  subject  caused  light 
to  be  spread  in  our  land. 

More  than  threescore  members  of  the  separate  church 
in  Sturbridge,  including  all  their  officers,  were  baptized 
in  1749.  Elder  Ebenezer  Moulton,  of  Brimfield,  bap- 
tized the  first  part  of  them,  and  many  others  about  the 
same  time.  In  September  that  year,  he  baptized  ten 
persons  in  Bridg-water,  and  three  in  Raynham.  The 
month  before,  a  controversy  was  brought  into  the  sepa- 
rate church  in  the  joining  borders  of  Bridgwater  and  Mid- 
dleborough,  which  was  managed  in  an  unhappy  manner, 
and  served  to  prejudice  many  against  the  Baptist  princi- 
ples ;  yet  they  gradually  prevailed,  until  their  pastor  and 
others  were  baptized  in  1751,  and  others  afterwards,  who 
yet  held  communion  with  their  old  brethren  for  a  number 
of  years.  Several  lively  preachers  were  received  among 
the  old  Baptists  in  Narraganset,  who  had  much  success 
there ;  and  Baptist  elders  went  from  thence,  and  baptized 
many  in  the  separate  churches  in  Connecticut,  and  it 
seemed  as  though  all  those  churches  would  become  Bap- 
tists ;  but  for  fear  of  it,  fierce  opposition  was  raised  against 
what  was  called  rehaptizing,  which  was  declared  to  be  a 
very  wicked  action,  and  some  retracted  it.  This  caused 
much  unhappiness,  and  councils  were  called  upon  it,  and 
a  general  meeting  of  churches  at  Exeter  in  May,  1753, 
and  a  larger  one  at  Stonington  in  May,  1754 ;  but  they 
could  not  settle  the  controversy.  Though  the  commun- 
ing of  all  real  saints  together  appeared  to  be  of  great  im- 


178  CHURCH     HISTORY   OF    NEW    ENGLAND.     [CH.    XI. 

portance,  yet  many  found  by  degrees  that  it  could  not  be 
done  in  that  way ;  for  they  saw  that  if  they  came  to  the 
Lord's  supper  with  any  who  were  only  sprinkled  in  their 
infancy,  it  practically  said  they  were  baptized,  when  they 
believed  in  their  consciences  that  they  were  not.  And 
practical  lying  is  a  great  sin.  We  ought  to  use  all  the 
freedom  towards  all  men,  and  towards  Christians  especi- 
ally, that  we  can  with  a  good  conscience ;  but  neither 
Scripture  nor  reason  can  require  us  to  violate  our  own 
consciences  for  any  cause  whatever.  And  upon  these 
principles  the  first  Baptist  church  in  Middleborough  was 
constituted,  January  16,  1756,  and  their  former  pastor 
was  installed  in  his  office,  June  23d  following.  This 
was  the  first  Baptist  church  which  was  formed  in  an  ex- 
tent of  country  of  more  than  a  hundred  miles  long,  from 
Bellingham  to  the  end  of  Cape  Cod,  and  near  fifty  miles 
wide,  between  Boston  and  Rehoboth,  in  which  are  now 
above  twenty  churches. 

In  two  years  before,  gospel  preachers  from  New  York 
and  New  Jersey,  had  travelled  several  times  to  Newpoii 
«nd  Swansea,  and  laboured  among  our  old  Baptipt 
churches  with  success  ;  and  a  reformation  in  doctrine  and 
conduct  followed,  and  also  a  friendly  intercourse  with 
our  new  churches.  Mr.  Solomon  Paine,  who  had  op- 
posed the  Baptists  much,  died  October  25,  1754,  and  Mr 
Thomas  Stevenson,  November  13,  1755,  after  which  that 
opposition  abated.  But  a  cruel  war  now  came  on,  which 
turned  the  minds  of  people  oflf  from  the  great  concerns  of 
the  soul  and  eternity,  to  the  confusions  of  this  world. 
The  ministers  who  had  been  against  the  late  glorious 
work,  were  now  using  all  their  art  to  render  the  doctrines 
of  sovereign  grace  odious ;  and  the  doctrine  of  Jesus 
Christ  being  truly  the  Son  of  God,  and  justification  by 
faith  in  his  righteousness,  was  treated  with  scorn  and  con- 
tempt in  a  publication  at  Boston  in  1755.  And  the  same 
spirit  appeared  in  Connecticut.  The  Baptist  minister 
and  church  of  Wallingford  removed  from  thence  in  1750 ; 
but  when  the  Congregational  minister,  who  had  perse- 
cuted Mr.  Robbins,  died  there  in  1756,  his  people  had 
great  difficulties  about  settling  another.     Among  twenty 


1758.]  WALLINGFORD   CASK.  179 

candidates,  they  could  not  agree  about  any  one  of  them. 
Therefore,  in  the  spring  of  1758,  they  were  advised  to 
send  to  Cambridge,  and  they  did  so,  and  a  man  came 
highly  recommended  from  thence,  and  the  majority 
elected  him  for  their  pastor  ;  and  appointed  his  ordination 
to  be  on  October  1 1 .  But  instead  of  acting  by  Saybrook 
platform,  they  sent  for  such  ministers  as  suited  them,  in 
their  own  county,  and  in  other  places,  who  were  of  their 
party.  God  says,  **  Mark  them  which  cause  divisions 
and  offences  contrary  to  the  doctrine  which  ye  have 
learned,  and  avoid  them ;  for  they  that  are  such  serve 
not  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  but  their  own  belly ;  and  by 
good  words  and  fair  speeches  deceive  the  hearts  of  the 
simple."  Rom.  xvi.  17,  18.  This  word  has  been  abun- 
dantly cast  upon  all  men  who  have  separated  from  minis- 
ters who  were  supported  by  force ;  though  they  have  paid 
no  regard  to  two  characters  described  in  the  text.  The 
first  is,  them  who  cause  divisions;  the  second  is,  their 
acting  contrary  to  the  doctrine  which  the  Christian 
church  have  learned  ;  for  Christ  himself  caused  divisions 
between  his  church  and  the  world.  And  because  the 
ministers  of  Windham  county  ordained  a  candidate  in 
Canterbury,  in  1744,  contrary  to  the  minds  of  the  ma- 
jority of  the  church,  divisions  and  offences  were  caused 
thereby  through  the  land.  Another  division  was  now 
coming  on  about  doctrines;  for  some  members  of  the 
church  in  Wallingford,  had  visited  their  candidate,  and 
desired  to  know  his  thoughts,  *'  about  original  sin,  and 
the  saints'  perseverance,  the  power  of  free-will,  and  fall- 
ing from  grace,"  but  he  refused  to  tell  them.  As  they 
were  not  willing  to  sit  under  such  a  teacher  of  souls,  their 
consociation  was  convened  at  Wallingford  the  day  before 
the  ordination  was  to  be,  to  hear  and  act  upon  a  complaint 
exhibited  against  their  candidate ;  but  he  and  his  party 
protested  against  their  meeting  at  that  time,  and  refused 
to  be  tried  by  them.  The  ministers  whom  they  had 
called,  formed  themselves  into  a  council,  and  went  into 
the  meeting-house,  and  heard  the  candidate  vindicate  him- 
self, before  judges  that  his  accusers  refused  to  be  tried  by. 
Though  while  they  were  there,  they  received  a  paper, 


180  CHURCH   HISTORY  OF   NEW    ENGLAND.       [CH.  XI. 

signed  by  ninety-five  inhabitants  of  that  parish,  who  pos- 
sessed about  half  the  freehold  estate  therein,  desiring  them 
not  to  proceed  in  the  ordination  ;  and  also  a  message  from 
their  consociation,  warning  and  beseeching  them  not  then 
to  proceed ;  yet,  in  the  face  of  all  this,  they  went  on  and 
ordained  him  as  the  pastor  of  that  parish. 

Such  an  instance  was  never  before  known  in  our  land ; 
therefore  the  consociation  adjourned,  and  called  the 
southern  consociation  of  Hartford  county  to  meet  with 
them  ;  but  they  could  not  bring  said  party  to  be  tried  by 
them ;  therefore,  at  their  meeting  of  April  3,  1759,  they 
gave  the  sentence  of  noncommunion  against  the  minister 
so  ordained  in  Wallingford,  and  against  the  members  of 
the  church  who  should  continue  with  him.  They  de- 
clared the  ministers  of  their  county  who  acted  in  that 
ordination  to  be  disorderly  persons,  until  they  gave  satis- 
faction for  that  offence ;  and  they  were  Joseph  Noyes, 
Isaac  Stiles,  and  Chauncy  Whittlesey  of  New  Haven, 
Samuel  Whittlesey  of  Milford,  Theophilus  Hall  of  Meri- 
den,  and  Jonathan  Todd  of  East  Guildford.  Two  of 
these  were  sons  of  the  old  minister  of  Wallingford,  and 
one  of  them  was  the  tutor  for  whom  David  Brainerd  was 
expelled  from  college. 

Mr.  Todd  and  William  Hart  wrote  in  favour  of  these 
men,  and  Mr.  Edward  Eelles  and  Noah  Hobart  wrote 
against  them ;  and  all  the  above  things  appear  in  their 
publications.  Mr.  Robbins  was  one  of  their  judges,  in 
an  affair  which  affords  useful  lessons.  Here  we  may  see 
how  SELF  can  blind  the  children  of  men.  The  scene  of 
these  actions  was  in  the  same  town  from  whence  all  their 
actings  against  him  originated.  He  only  preached  there 
occasionally  ;  they  settled  a  minister  in  the  parish.  He 
acted  against  the  desire  of  two  ministers  and  forty-two  in- 
habitants ;  they  against  their  consociation,  and  ninety-five 
inhabitants.  In  the  first  case  the  Say  brook  scheme  was 
fairly  renounced,  and  the  word  of  God  taken  in  its  room ; 
in  the  other  they  only  protested  against  the  meeting  of 
the  consociation  at  that  time,  but  intended  to  be  of  it 
afterwards.  These  things  caused  a  division  in  the  town, 
and  another  church  and  minister  were  settled  there  ;  two 


1762.]  DANBURY    CASE.  181 

Baptist  churches  also  are  since  formed  in  Wallingford. 
Aind  their  conduct  produced  like  effects  in  other  places. 

The  preaching  of  Mr.  Ebenezer  White  of  Danbury, 
was  not  liked  by  a  minor  part  of  his  hearers,  and  they 
went  and  complained  of  him  to  their  association,  and  ad- 
vised to  the  calling  of  the  consociation  of  that  district  to 
hear  and  act  upon  it.  But  when  Mr.  White  heard  of  it, 
he  called  his  church  together,  June  28,  1763,  and  they 
renounced  the  Saybrook  platform,  which  many  of  them 
never  liked,  though  they  did  not  renounce  communion 
with  the  churches  who  were  under  it.  When  the  con- 
sociation of  the  eastern  district  of  Fairfield  county  met  at 
Danbury  in  August,  Mr.  White  and  his  church  informed 
them  of  what  they  had  done,  and  refused  to  be  tried  by 
them.  Yet  they  would  hear  the  case,  and  finding  it  to 
be  very  diflicult,  they  adjourned,  and  called  in  the  conso- 
ciation of  the  western  district  of  that  county  to  act  with 
them.  After  other  adjournments,  and  much  labour,  they 
at  their  meeting  of  March  27,  1764,  rejected  Mr.  White 
and  a  large  majority  of  his  church,  and  held  the  minority 
as  the  church  and  society  in  Danbury,  and  refused  to  re- 
commend Mr.  White  as  a  preacher  to  any  people,  until 
he  gave  them  satisfaction.  But  five  ministers  entered 
their  protest  against  this  last  article,  the  first  of  whom 
was  Mr.  David  Judson  of  Newtown,  who,  with  his 
church,  afterwards  renounced  the  Saybrook  platform. 
Thus  those  ministers  caused  divisions  and  offences,  from 
place  to  place,  by  acting  upon  that  arbitrary  scheme.  And 
there  are  now  two  Baptist  churches  in  Danbury,  and  one 
in  Newtown,  with  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  members 
in  the  three  churches,  and  one  hundred  and  four  in  the  , 
two  in  Wallingford.     These  were  their  numbers  in  1802. 

What  Dr.  Chauncy  and  others  had  published  about 
bishops  in  each  parish,  encouraged  the  ministers  who 
were  ordained  by  bishops  in  England,  to  deny  that  any 
who  were  not  so  ordained  could  have  any  just  right  to 
administer  gospel  ordinances.  And  they  erected  an  Epis- 
copal church  in  Cambridge,  near  the  college  ;  at  the  open- 
ing of  which  a  discourse  was  delivered,  which  contained 
bitter  reflections  upon  the  fathers  of  this  country,  for 
16 


182  CHURCH     HISTORY    OF    jNEW    ENGLAND.      [CH.  XI. 

their  separation  from  the  church  of  England.  To  this 
Dr.  Jonathan  Mayhew  of  Boston  published  a  smart 
answer,  but  a  reply  was  returned,  said  to  be  written  by 
the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury.  This  controversy  was 
warmly  carried  on,  until  the  American  war  came  on, 
which  issued  in  our  independence  of  Britain. 

The  great  earthquake,  on  the  morning  of  November 
18,  1755,  served  to  awaken  a  number  of  people,  and  that 
and  other  means  were  blessed  for  the  conversion  of  seve- 
ral in  the  time  of  the  war  that  then  came  on.  The  second 
Baptist  church  in  Middleborough  was  formed  November 
16,  1757,  and  the  third  on  August  4,  1761,  and  pastors 
were  ordained  in  each  of  them.  Baptist  churches  were 
likewise  formed  and  organized  in  1761,  in  Norton  and  in 
Ashfield. 

A  revival  of  religion  came  on  in  the  third  Baptist 
church  in  Middleborough  in  May,  1762,  and  prevailed 
so  through  all  the  summer,  that  people  held  frequent 
meetings  on  week-days  as  well  as  the  Sabbaths,  and 
great  numbers  were  hopefully  converted  and  added  to  the 
church  ;  and  it  spread  among  other  denominations.  Al- 
though many  said  they  would  all  come^to  want,  because 
they  neglected  their  worldly  business  so  much,  yet  a  few 
seasonable  showers,  in  a  great  drought,  caused  a  double 
crop  of  corn,  so  that  they  had  enough  for  themselves, 
and  much  to  spare  for  others  at  a  distance,  where  their 
crops  were  much  cut  short,  which  was  very  convincing 
to  many.  This  work  was  much  more  pure,  and  people 
acted  more  understandingly,  than  in  our  former  revivals , 
and  if  all  would  learn  to  seek  first  the  kingdom  of  God, 
and  his  righteousness,  they  would  find  an  addition  of  all 
needful  good  unto  them. 

This  work  was  very  extensive  afterwards  in  many 
parts  of  this  land.  It  came  on  in  Ipswich,  under  the 
ministry  of  Mr.  John  Cleaveland,  near  the  close  of  1763, 
and  caused  the  addition  of  ninety  communicants  to  his 
church  in  less  than  a  year.  And  the  work  was  great  at 
Providence,  Norwich,  and  many  other  places  in  1764; 
and  in  March  that  year  it  was  greater  at  Easthampton  on 
Long  Island,  where  one  Jew  was  converted.     And  as  a 


I 


1769.]  BAPTIST   COLLEGE    FOUNDED.  183 

Baptist  minister  went  through  Woodstock  in  Connecti- 
cut, in  December,  1763,  he  preached  a  sermon  to  a  few 
people,  one  of  whom  was  a  young  man,  who  had  been  a 
leader  in  vanity ;  but  he  was  then  seized  with  conviction, 
and  was  converted  in  March  after,  upon  which  four  of 
his  old  companion*  came  to  try  if  they  could  not  draw 
him  back  to  his  old  ways  ;  which  they  were  so  far  from 
doing,  that  his  labours  with  them  produced  a  change  in 
their  minds ;  a  great  work  was  wrought  in  the  town,  a 
Baptist  church  was  formed  there,  and  he  was  ordained 
their  pastor  in  1768.  And  other  things  concurred  to  open 
a  wide  door  for  the  spread  of  Baptist  principles  in  our 
land. 

Until  now  they  had  never  had  the  government  of  any 
college,  for  the  education  of  youth  in  human  learning. 
Their  churches  in  Pennsylvania  and  New  Jersey  had 
held  an  annual  meeting  to  promote  their  welfare,  ever 
since  1707 ;  and  it  now  appeared  expedient  to  them,  to 
endeavour  to  erect  a  college  in  Rhode  Island  government 
for  the  above  purpose.  Mr.  James  Manning,  who  was 
born  in  Elizabethtown,  Oatober  22,  1738,  graduated  at 
Princeton  college  in  1762,  and  ordained  a  minister  of  the 
gospel,  appeared  to  them  a  suitable  man  to  lead  in.  this 
work.  T  lie  re  fore,  on  a  voyage  to  Halifax,  he  called  at 
Newport,  and  proposed  the  affair  to  a  number  of  Baptist 
gentlemen,  and  they  liked  it  well ;  and  though  they  met 
with  some  opposition,  yet  they  obtained  a  charter  for  a 
college,  in  February,  1764,  from  their  legislature,  in 
which  the  president  was  always  to  be  a  Baptist,  and  so 
were  the  majority  of  the  corporation,  though  some  of  the 
Episcopal,  Quaker,  and  Congregational  denominations 
were  to  be  of  it.  No  religious  test  was  ever  to  be  im- 
posed upon  the  scholars,  though  great  care  was  to  be 
taken  about  their  morals. 

Mr.  Manning  removed  his  family  to  Warren  in  July, 
where  a  Baptist  church  was  then  formed,  and  he  minis- 
tered to  them.  In  September,  1765,  he  was  chosen  pre- 
sident of  the  college,  and  diligently  attended  to  the  duties 
of  it,  until  seven  young  gentlemen  took  their  first  degrees 
there,  September  7,  1769.     In  the  spring  after  the  col- 


184  CHURCH    HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.      [cH.  XI. 

lege  was  removed  to  Providence,  where  a  large  brick 
edifice  was  erected  for  it,  and  a  house  for  the  President, 
all  by  personal  generosity ;  and  no  government  upon 
earth  ever  gave  any  thing  towards  said  buildings,  or  for 
the  college  funds  ;  though  vast  sums  had  been  given  by 
the  governments  of  Massachusetts  and  Connecticut  to 
their  colleges.  But  the  buildings,  library,  and  funds  of 
'  this  college,  were  all  produced  voluntarily,  and  chiefly 
from  the  inhabitants  of  Providence,  many  of  whom 
sprung  from  the  planters  of  the  first  Baptist  church  in 
America.  O  how  far  was  this  from  the  thoughts  of  Mas- 
sachusetts, when  they  banished  Roger  Williams  for  op- 
posing the  use  of  force  in  religious  affairs! 

Mr.  Hezekiah  Smith  was  a  classmate  with  Manning, 
and  was  ordained  a  minister  of  the  gospel.  Having  tra- 
velled and  preached  it  to  the  southward  as  far  as  Georgia, 
he  came  into  New  England  in  the  spring  of  1764,  and 
preached  much,  among  various  denominations,  with  an 
expectation  of  going  back  in  the  fall ;  but  a  destitute  pa- 
rish in  Haverhill  prevailed  with  him  to  stay  and  preach 
to  them,  which  he  did  with  success  ;  and  a  Baptist  church 
was  formed  in  the  heart  of  the  town.  May  9,  1705. 
Upon  which  many  raised  opposition  against  him,  and 
things  were  published  against  the  Baptists  in  general ;  to 
which  answers  were  returned  ;  and  the  more  their  prin- 
ciples were  examined,  the  more  they  were  embraced. 
Controversies  among  their  opponents  had  a  like  effect; 
for  in  1768,  Dr.  Joseph  Bellamy  began  a  dispute  against 
the  halfway  covenant,  which  was  pursued  for  several 
years.  Dr.  Moses  Mather  was  one  who  wrote  against 
him,  and  he  held  up  the  covenant  with  Abraham,  as  a 
covenant  that  all  ought  to  be  in,  in  order  to  use  the  means 
of  grace  for  their  conversion.  But  Dr.  Bellamy  replied, 
and  said,  '*  the  unbaptized  have  as  good  a  right  to  read 
and  hear  the  word  of  God,  as  the  baptized  have ;  and  as 
good  a  right  to  believe  and  embrace  the  gospel.  For  by 
Christ's  last  commission,  the  gospel  is  to  be  preached  to 
all  nations  ;  yea,  to  every  creature  ;  and  that  previous  to, 
and  in  order  to  prepare  men  for  baptism.  Mark  xvi.  15, 
16.     So  that  there  is  not  the  least  need  of  being  in  his 


1769.]  EFFORTS    OF    EPISCOPALIANS.  185 

external  covenant,  in  order  to  have  as  good  a  right  to  hear 
and  believe,  and  to  be  justified  by  the  gospel,  as  any  men 
on  earth  have  ;  for  there  is  no  difference.  Rom.  iii.  22."* 
And  how  strong  is  this  reasoning  for  the  baptism  of  be- 
lievers only !     But  greater  things  were  then  before  them. 

When  the  British  court  had  determined  to  tax  America, 
their  bishops  had  great  hopes  of  establishing  their  wor- 
ship upon  it:  and  one  of  them  then  said,  **  We  may  as- 
sure ourselves  that  this  benefit  will  flow  to  the  church 
from  our  present  most  gracious  sovereign,  whenever  pub- 
lic wisdom,  public  care,  public  justice,  and  piety  shall 
advise  the  measure.  This  point  obtained,  the  American 
church  will  soon  go  out  of  its  infant  state,  be  able  to  stand 
upon  its  own  legs  ;  and  without  foreign  help  support  and 
spread  itself.  Then  the  business  of  this  society  will  have 
been  brought  to  the  happy  issue  intended."! 

The  society,  to  whom  this  was  preached,  had  expended 
vast  sums,  for  sixty-six  years,  to  propagate  what  they 
called  the  gospel  in  America;  and  they  now  discovered 
what  they  were  after;  which  was  to  have  Episcopacy 
supported  by  force  in  our  country.  By  the  abstract  at 
the  end  of  this  sermon,  it  appears  that  their  society  had 
then  only  seven  ministers  in  the  whole  of  North  Carolina, 
when  they  had  twenty-three  in  Massachusetts  and  Con- 
necticut. Yet  their  profession  was,  to  send  ministers  to 
gospelize  the  heathen,  or  to  teach  others  who  had  not  a 
sufficient  support  for  ministers  among  them.  And  Dr. 
Chandler,  of  New  Jersey,  now  wrote  upon  the  same  argu- 
ment, which  I  before  referred  to  ;  and  the  danger  of  their 
succeeding  appeared  to  be  so  great,  that  Dr.  Chauncy 
wrote  a  large  answer  to  him,  wherein  he  said : 

"  We  are  in  principle  against  all  civil  establishments  in 
religion ;  and  as  we  do  not  desire  any  establishment  in 
support  of  our  own  religious  sentiments  or  practice,  we 
cannot  reasonably  be  blamed,  if  we  are  not  disposed  to 
encourage  one  in  favour  of  the  Episcopal  colonists. — It 

*   Reply  to  Mather,  p.  75. 

f  Sermon  in  London,  February  20,  1767,  by  the  Bishop  of  Lan- 
daff,  p.  24,  25. 

16* 


186  CHURCH    HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.     [CH.    XI. 

does  not  appear  to  us,  that  God  has  intrusted  the  state 
with  a  right  to  make  religious  establishments.  If  the 
state  in  England  has  this  delegated  authority,  must  it  not 
be  owned,  that  the  state  in  China,  in  Turkey,  in  Spain, 
has  this  authority  also  ?  What  should  make  the  difference 
in  the  eye  of  true  reason?  Hath  the  state  in  England 
been  distinguished  by  Heaven  by  any  particular  grant  be^ 
yond  the  state  in  other  countries  ?  If  it  has,  let  the  grant 
be  produced.  If  it  has  not,  all  states  have  in  common 
the  same  authority.  And  as  they  must  severally  be  sup- 
posed to  exert  their  authority  in  establishments  conforma- 
ble to  their  own  sentiments  in  religion ;  what  can  the 
consequence  be,  but  infinite  damage  to  the  cause  of  God 
and  true  religion  ?  And  such  in  fact  has  been  the  conse- 
quence of  these  establishments  in  all  ages,  and  in  all 
places."* 

The  general  association  of  ministers  in  Connecticut 
published  a  letter  of  thanks  to  Dr.  Chauncy,  for  writing 
this  book,  in  a  Boston  paper,  in  1768.  But  Chandler 
wrote  again,  and  Chauncy  replied,  and  said,  "  The  reli- 
gion of  Jesus  has  suffered  more  from  the  exercise  of  this 
pretended  right,  than  from  all  other  causes  put  together ; 
and  it  is,  with  me,  past  all  doubt,  that  it  will  never  be 
restored  to  its  primitive  purity,  simplicity  and  glory,  until 
religious  establishments  are  so  brought  down  as  to  be  no 
more."t  And  yet  he  had  published  more,  for  thirty 
years,  to  uphold  the  Congregational  establishments  in 
New  England,  than  any  other  man.  And  if  any  should 
plead  that  he  held  these  not  to  be  real  establishments,  that 
plea  cannot  be  truth,  because  they  hold  fast  three  princi- 
ples here,  that  are  the  foundation  of  all  worldly  establish- 
ments that  ever  were  made  under  the  name  of  Christianity. 
The  first  is,  infant  baptism,  which  lays  bands  upon  child- 
ren before  they  can  choose  for  themselves  ;  and  educa- 
tion, honour,  gain,  and  self-righteousness,  hold  them  in 
that  way  all  their  days,  in  the  general  custom  of  the  world. 
The  second  is,  the  supporting  of  religious  teachers  by 

*  Answer  to  Chandler,  p.  152,  153. 
t  Reply,  1770,  p.  144,  145. 


1771. J  A    DRUNKARD    FAVOURED.  187 

force,  by  the  power  of  the  magistrate.  The  third  is,  the 
allowing  religious  ministers  a  power  of  office  which  the 
people  cannot  give  nor  take  away.  The  church  of  Rome, 
and  the  church  of  England,  were  built  and  are  now  up- 
held entirely  by  these  three  principles  :  and  the  Congre- 
gational churches  that  are  established  by  law  in  Massa- 
chusetts and  Connecticut  hold  each  of  them  fast.  As 
long  as  rulers  force  the  people  to  support  religious  teachers, 
it  bribes  them  to  use  all  their  influence  in  favour  of  such 
"Rulers,  and  this  bribes  rulers  to  continue  in  that  way. 
And  God  says,  **  A  gift  doth  blind  the  eyes  of  the  wise, 
and  pervert  the  words  of  the  righteous."  Deut.  xvi.  19. 
And  so  many  wise  and  righteous  men  have  gone  in  that 
way,  that  it  is  very  difficult  for  their  children  to  get  out 
of  it.  But  the  word  of  God  points  out  a  clear  light,  which 
is  to  direct  our  feet  in  the  way  of  peace.  And  he  gives  a 
most  solemn  warning  to  all,  against  adding  to,  or  taking 
from  his  words.  Rev.  xxii.  18,  19.  And  no  men  can 
force  others  to  support  any  religious  teachers,  without 
adding  to  the  Holy  Scriptures,  our  only  safe  rule  of  con- 
duct. What  vast  expenses  would  be  saved  to  worldly 
governments,  if  that  evil  was  entirely  renounced  !  For 
the  costs  of  legislatures  to  make  laws  about  worship, 
parishes,  and  ministers,  is  a  main  part  of  the  expenses  of 
all  governments  who  go  in  that  way.  Religious  pretences 
have  caused  the  most  of  the  wars  that  have  been  in  the 
world,  under  the  name  of  Christianity  ;  and  the  expenses 
which  are  occasioned  by  wars,  are  as  much  as  half  of 
the  support  of  government  in  Europe  and  America. 

Yet  the  holding  of  ministers  above  the  churches  is  still 
a  darling  point  in  our  country,  against  all  the  light  which 
God  has  given  us.  For  the  minister  of  Bolton,  in  Wor- 
cester county,  drank  to  excess  on  a  sacrament  day,  so  as 
to  shock  his  whole  congregation.  His  church  called  him 
to  account  for  it,  but  he  did  not  give  them  satisfaction. 
Three  councils,  one  after  another,  were  called  about  it, 
but  they  were  all  for  continuing  him  in  office  there  ;  but 
as  he  had  assumed  the  power  to  negative  the  acts  of  the 
church,  and  to  dissolve  their  meeting,  they  called  another, 
and  chose  a  moderator  and  clerk,  and  made  some  propo- 


188  CHURCH    HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.       [CH.  XI. 

sals  to  their  minister,  and  adjourned.  But  as  he  gave 
them  no  satisfaction,  they  met  on  August  8,  1771,  and 
dismissed  him  from  them,  and  the  town  concurred  in  it. 

Upon  this,  ministers  were  much  alarmed,  and  things 
were  published  against  the  church,  as  daring  usurpers  of 
an  unwarrantable  power ;  upon  which  two  editions  of  Mr. 
Wise's  works  were  printed  at  Boston,  to  show  what 
power  the  church  once  had.  But  the  general  convention 
of  ministers  at  Boston,  in  May,  1773,  published  a  pam- 
phlet, to  try  to  prove  that  no  church  had  a  right  to  dismiss* 
their  minister,  without  the  direction  of  a  council  therein. 
And  in  August  following,  a  council  of  seven  churches 
met  at  Bolton,  and  tried  hard  to  have  that  minister  restored 
again  to  his  office  there ;  and  because  they  could  not 
obtain  it,  they  printed  their  result  at  Boston,  as  their  tes- 
timony against  any  such  power  in  their  churches.  Dr. 
Chauncy  was  moderator  of  that  council. 

In  1772,  a  man  from  England,  by  the  way  of  New 
York,  came  to  Boston,  and  artfully  held  up  that  Christ 
had  paid  the  debt  to  justice  for  all  mankind,  so  that  none 
of  them  would  suffer  in  hell  after  the  day  of  judgment. 
This  gave  so  great  a  shock  to  the  ministers  who  held  to 
general  redemption,  that  they  published  nothing  against 
him  in  ten  years;  but  in  1782,  an  anonymous  pamphlet 
came  out  in  Boston  against  him.  And  Dr.  Chauncy 
published  a  book  in  1784,  wherein  he  held  forth,  that  the 
fire  of  hell  would  purge  away  the  sins  of  all  the  race  of 
Adam,  so  that  they  would  be  all  saved,  after  ages  of  ages.* 
This  the  pamphlet,  in  1782,  had  called  purgatory.! 

Now  an  inspired  apostle  says,  '*  If  the  blood  of  bulls, 
and  of  goats,  and  the  ashes  of  an  heifer  sprinkling  the 
unclean,  sanctifieth  to  the  purifying  of  the  flesh ;  how 
much  more  shall  the  blood  of  Christ,  who  through  the 
eternal  Spirit  offered  himself  without  spot  to  God,  purge 
your  conscience  from  dead  works  to  serve  the  living 
God  !"  Heb.  ix.  13,  14.  This  must  be  done  in  the  pre- 
sent life,  or  else  they  who  die  in  their  sins  will  lift  up 
their  eyes  in  torment^  and  find  a  great  gulf  fixed  between 

*  Salvation  for  all  Men,  p.  324.  |  Said  pamphlet,  p.  21. 


1774.]  RELIGION    AOAIN    REVIVED,  189 

them  and  the  righteous,  which  none  can  pass  over.  Luke 
xvi.  22—26.  And  what  madness  is  it  to  hold  that  the 
fire  of  hell  can  purge  away  any  sins,  instead  of  the  blood 
of  Christ !  Dr.  Jonathan  Edwards  published  a  full  an- 
swer to  Chauncy,  in  1790. 

But  let  us  return  to  more  agreeable  things.  A  Baptist 
church  was  formed  at  Newton  in  New  Hampshire,  in 
1755,  and  one  at  Haverhill,  in  1765,  which  were  the 
first  that  were  formed  anywhere  northward  of  Boston. 
A  great  revival  of  religion  then  prevailed  in  New  Hamp- 
shire, and  the  Baptist  principle  spread  therein,  until  a 
Baptist  church  was  constituted  in  Stratham,  and  a  minis- 
ter was  ordained  there  in  1771,  and  their  increase  has 
been  great  that  way  ever  since.  And  a  powerful  work 
came  on  in  Swansea  and  Rehoboth,  which  increased  the 
Baptist  churches  there,  and  raised  a  new  one  in  Dighton, 
which  is  since  very  large.  Old  churches  gained  great 
light  now,  about  doctrines  and  gospel  order,  and  more 
than  twenty  new  churches  were  formed  in  New  England, 
in  three  years.  And  in  the  close  of  1774,  such  a  work 
came  on  in  Providence,  that  Dr.  Manning  baptized  an 
hundred  and  ten  persons  in  nine  months ;  and  many 
joined  to  other  churches  in  that  town,  and  the  work  was 
extensive  in  other  places. 

Mr.  Whitefield  was  taken  to  his  rest  before  this,  after 
his  extraordinary  labours,  for  thirty-four  years,  in  Eng- 
land, Scotland,  Ireland,  and  America.  He  came  over 
seven  voyages  to  our  country,  in  the  last  of  which  he 
landed  in  South  Carolina,  in  November,  1769,  and  went 
to  Georgia.  From  thence  he  travelled  through  all  the 
country,  as  far  as  the  district  of  Maine  ;  and  in  fifty-eight 
days  he  preached  fifty-one  sermons,  before  he  died  at 
Nevvburyport,  September  30,  1770 ;  as  appears  in  fune- 
ral sermons  for  him,  and  in  his  life  published  since.  And 
how  wonderful  were  these  things ! 

The  first  Baptist  church  in  Vermont  was  formed  in 
Shaftsbury  in  1768,  and  the  second  was  in  Pownal  in 
1773.  In  the  three  following  years,  Baptist  churches 
were  constituted  at  Suffield,  Ashford,  Hampton,  and  Kil- 
lingly  in  Connecticut,  andMedfield,  Harvard,  and  Chelms- 


190  CHURCH    HISTORY   OF    NEW    ENGLAND.      [cH.  XI. 

ford  in  Massachusetts ;  when  the  terrible  calamities  of 
the  war  could  not  stop  this  work.  Neither  could  the  ill- 
treatment  which  the  Baptists  had  met  with,  turn  them 
against  their  country,  who  had  oppressed  them ;  for 
though  they  had  received  relief  from  the  British  court, 
several  times,  yet  they  saw  that  this  was  done  for  political 
ends,  by  men  who  now  aimed  to  bring  all  America  into 
bondage.  And  we  shall  here  take  a  concise  view  of  the 
partiality  that  was  often  discovered,  even  when  our  rulers 
pretended  to  relieve  us. 

The  certificate  acts  which  were  made  from  time  to 
time,  to  exempt  us  from  ministerial  taxes,  were  often  vio- 
lated by  our  oppressors,  especially  where  new  churches 
were  formed.  The  Baptist  church  that  was  formed  at 
Sturbridge  in  1749,  gave  in  certificates  according  to  law, 
and  yet  they  were  all  taxed  to  the  parish  minister ;  and 
in  two  years  five  men  were  imprisoned  for  it  at  Wor- 
cester, and  three  oxen  and  eight  cows  were  taken 
away,  besides  a  great  deal  of  other  property.  Several 
men  sued  for  recompense,  and  at  length  judgment  was 
given  for  them  in  one  case ;  but  then  other  cases  wera 
nonsuited,  under  the  pretence  that  the  actions  were  not 
commenced  against  the  right  persons.  The  Baptists 
judged  that  their  damages  in  these  cases  were  not  less 
than  four  hundred  dollars.  And  a  representative  from 
Sturbridge  prevailed  with  our  legislature  to  make  a  new 
law,  in  1752,  to  exclude  all  Baptist  churches  from  power 
to  give  legal  certificates,  until  they  had  obtained  certifi- 
cates from  three  other  Baptist  churches,  that  they  es- 
teemed said  church  to  be  conscientiously  Anabaptists ; 
that  is,  rebaptizers,  which  they  never  did  believe.  Yet, 
rather  than  to  suffer  continually,  most  of  the  Baptists 
conformed  in  some  measure  to  their  laws,  until  they  were 
convinced  that  true  help  could  not  be  had  in  that  way, 
and  therefore  they  concluded  in  1773  to  give  no  more 
certificates,  and  published  their  reasons  for  so  doing. 

The  town  of  Ashfield  was  planted  in  1751,  and  a  Bap- 
tist church  was  constituted  and  organized  there  in  1761, 
with  a  large  majority  of  the  inhabitants  in  their  favour. 
They  had  upheld  worship  there  through  all  the  perils  of 


1770.]  BAPTISTS   PERSECUTED.  191 

a  long  war ;  yet  after  it  was  over,  others  came  in,  and 
ordained  a  Congregational  minister,  and  taxed  the  Baptist 
minister  and  his  people  for  his  support.  One  condition 
in  the  grant  of  the  town  was,  that  they  should  settle  an 
orthodox  minister,  and  build  a  meeting-house ;  and  as  the 
Baptists  were  taxed  for  doing  that  for  a  Congregational 
minister,  they  paid  it.  But  after  they  had  done  it,  a  law 
was  made  in  1768,  which  took  the  power  out  of  the 
hands  of  the  inhabitants,  and  put  it  into  the  hands  of  the 
proprietors,  many  of  whom  did  not  live  in  the  town,  to 
tax  all  the  inhabitants  of  the  town  for  the  support  of  said 
minister,  and  to  lay  the  tax  wholly  upon  the  lands,  be 
they  in  whose  hands  they  might,  and  to  sell  the  lands  if 
the  owners  refused  to  pay  it.  The  word  support  was  not 
in  the  original  grant  of  the  town  from  the  government. 
Yet  in  1770,  three  hundred  and  ninety-eight  acres  ofland, 
owned  by  the  Baptists,  was  sold,  because  they  refused  to 
pay  a  tax  laid  contrary  to  the  original  grant  of  said  lands. 
They  sought  to  the  legislature  for  relief,  without  any  suc- 
cess, for  near  three  years,  and  then  sent  to  the  king,  m 
council,  and  got  that  law  disannulled.  But  no  sooner  was 
the  news  of  it  published  here,  than  a  malicious  prosecu- 
tion was  commenced  against  the  character  of  a  chief  fa- 
ther of  that  Baptist  church ;  and  though  he  was  fully 
acquitted  upon  trial,  yet  he  got  no  recompense  for  his 
costs  and  trouble.  This  plainly  discovers  what  wicked- 
ness is  the  consequence  of  supporting  religious  ministers  J 
by  force. 

More  of  this  appeared  in  other  places.  After  the  Bap- 
tist church  was  formed  in  Haverhill,  in  1765,  they  gave 
in  certificates  to  the  other  denomination  according  to  law, 
and  yet  they  were  all  taxed  to  them  ;  and  in  1766,  a  large 
quantity  of  goods  were  taken  from  one  of  their  society, 
and  they  sued  for  recompense  in  several  courts,  until 
judgment  was  given  in  their  favour  in  1767,  by  our  su- 
perior court.  Their  opponents  had  promised  that  this 
should  be  a  final  trial,  yet  they  violated  that  promise,  and 
procured  another  trial  in  June,  1769,  when  the  case  was 
turned  against  the  Baptists,  which  cost  them  two  hundred 
and  fifty  dollars.     And  they  suffered  much  other  ways 


192  CHURCH    HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.     [CH.  XI. 

for  several  years,  but  they  have  been  well  treated  since. 
A.t  Montague  they  made  distress  upon  the  Baptist  com- 
mittee, who  signed  their  certificates,  and  not  upon  others  ; 
and  when  they  sued  for  recompense,  the  case  was  turned 
against  them,  both  in  their  inferior  and  superior  courts, 
upon  a  pretence  that  they  could  not  witness  for  them- 
selves, though  there  were  three  of  them,  and  if  their 
names  had  not  been  in  the  lists,  they  could  not  have  been 
exempted.  And  both  there  and  in  Haverhill  case,  Bap- 
tists were  not  admitted  as  witnesses  of  plain  facts,  because 
they  were  parties  concerned^  though  judges  and  jurors 
were  as  much  so  as  they.  The  Baptists  in  Berwick  and^ 
Goreham  suffered  much  in  these  ways,  as  many  others 
also  did.  And  as  their  exempting  law  expired  in  1774, 
another  was  made,  which  required  that  their  certificates 
should  be  recorded  in  each  parish  where  the  Baptists 
lived,  who  must  give  four-pence  for  a  copy  of  it,  in  order 
to  clear  themselves,  which  is  three-pence  sterling ;  the 
same  as  was  laid  on  a  pound  of  tea,  which  brought  on 
the  war  in  America  ! 

The  Baptist  churches  began  an  annual  association  at 
Warren,  September  8,  1767,  who  have  done  much  to  de- 
fend their  privileges,  as  well  as  to  unite  and  quicken  each 
other  in  religion.  And  when  they  met  at  Medfield,  Sep- 
tember 13,  1774,  they  chose  an  agent  to  go  to  Philadel- 
phia, when  the  first  Congress  was  sitting  there,  to  join 
with  the  Philadelphia  association,  to  endeavour  to  secure 
our  religious  rights,  while  we  united  with  our  country  in 
the  defence  of  all  our  privileges.  And  when  he  came 
there,  said  association  elected  a  large  committee  to  help  in 
the  affair;  and  they  obtained  a  meeting  of  the  four  dele- 
gates from  Massachusetts,  before  other  members  of  Con- 
gress, in  the  evening  of  October  14  ;  to  whom  a  memorial 
of  our  grievances  about  religious  matters  was  read.  This, 
two  of  those  delegates  endeavoured  to  answer,  and  denied 
that  we  had  any  reason  to  complain  on  those  accounts. 
But  when  leave  was  given  for  a  reply,  plain  facts  silenced 
that  plea.  They  then  shifted  their  plea,  and  would  have 
all  the  blame  of  our  sufferings  laid  upon  executive  officers, 
and  they  asserted  that  our  legislature  was  entirely  free 


1775.]  BATTLE  OF  LEXINGTON.  193 

from  blame.  Three  of  them  joined  in  this  plea,  and  one 
of  them  denied  that  it  could  be  a  case  of  conscience  to  re- 
fuse to  give  them  certificates,  and  said  it  was  a  matter  of 
conscience  with  them  to  support  ministers  by  law,  and 
that  we  denied  them  liberty  of  conscience,  in  denying 
their  right  to  do  it.  But  when  our  agent  was  allowed  to 
speak,  he  brought  up  the  case  of  Ashfield,  where  near 
four  hundred  acres  of  land  were  sold  for  a  condition  that 
was  not  in  the  original  grant  of  the  town,  for  which  the 
blame  lay  directly  on  the  legislature ;  and  if  the  king  in 
council  had  not  disannulled  that  law,  the  Baptists  might 
have  been  robbed  of  all  their  lands,  as  far  as  any  thing  hay 
since  appeared.  He  also  told  them  that  he  could  not  in 
conscience  give  the  certificates  which  they  required, 
which  would  implicitly  allow  a  power  to  man,  which  in 
his  view  belongs  only  to  God.  And  said  he,  **  Only  allow 
us  the  liberty  in  the  country  that  they  have  long  enjoyed 
in  Boston,  and  we  ask  no  more."  This  was  so  plain, 
that  said  delegates  promised  to  use  their  influence  to- 
wards having  that  liberty  granted  to  all  our  government. 

But  as  one  of  them  returned  before  said  agent  got  home, 
a  report  was  spread  in  the  country,  that  he  had  been  to 
Philadelphia  to  try  to  break  the  union  of  these  colonies 
in  the  defence  of  all  their  privileges.  He  therefore  soon 
met  our  Baptist  committee  at  Boston,  who  sent  in  a  re- 
monstrance upon  this  subject  to  our  provincial  Congress 
at  Cambridge,  and  they  passed  a  resolve,  which  acquitted 
us  of  all  blame  in  that  affair ;  and  we  are  now  to  look  into 
their  following  proceedings. 

A  Congress,  elected  by  the  people  in  twelve  colonies, 
met  at  Philadelphia,  September  5,  1774,  and  sent  a  peti- 
tion to  the  king  for  the  restoration  and  continuance  of  our 
former  privileges,  and  also  made  the  best  preparations 
that  they  could  to  defend  them  ;  but  their  petition  was 
treated  with  contempt,  and  an  army  was  sent  to  compel 
us  to  yield  to  be  taxed  where  we  were  not  represented. 
A  part  of  the  army  was  sent  from  Boston  in  the  night, 
and  on  the  morning  of  April  19,  1775,  they  killed  eight 
men  at  Lexington,  and  some  more  at  Concord.  But  the 
people  arose  against  them,  and  they  fled  back  the  same 
17 


1 


194  CHURCH    HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.       [CV.  XI. 

might,  and  were  confined  in  Boston  eleven  months,  and 
then  their  army  fled  from  thence  by  sea.  And  such  things 
then  took  place  in  America,  as  never  were  seen  upon 
earth  before.  A  minister  who  came  from  England,  and 
then  lived  at  Roxbury,  said,  upon  a  view  of  our  country 
at  that  time, 

**  Now  some  hundred  thousand  people  are  in  a  state  of 
nature,  and  yet  as  still  and  peaceable,  at  present,  as  ever 
they  were  when  government  was  in  full  vigour.  We  have 
neither  legislators,  nor  magistrates,  nor  executive  officers. 
We  have  no  officers  but  military  ones ;  of  these  we  have 
a  multitude,  chosen  by  the  people,  and  exercising  them 
with  more  authority  and  spirit  than  ever  any  did  who 
had  commissions  from  a  governor.  The  inhabitants  are 
determined  never  to  submit  to  the  act  destroying  their 
charter,  and  are  everywhere  devoting  themselves  to 
arms."*  And  a  man  who  was  born  in  this  country,  and 
carefully  observed  the  events  in  it,  inserted  a  note  in  his 
private  diary,  in  January,  1776,  which  he  said,  "  Great 
and  marvellous  have  been  our  dangers  and  our  escapes. 
In  the  midst  of  the  worst  kind  of  wars,  we  have  both 
peace  and  plenty.  I  scarce  ever  knew  the  country  to  be 
better  off  for  provision.  This  is  a  state  of  trial,  and  the 
great  changes  which  are  passing  over  us,  serve  greatly  to 
show  what  is  in  man.  As  every  one  saw  himself  to  be 
interested  in  the  war,  men  were  forward  enough  to  enlist 
into  the  army,  and  others  to  supply  them  ;  so  that  perhaps 
no  army  was  ever  supplied  more  plentifully  with  provi- 
sion than  ours  has  been." 

Yet  a  party  spirit  about  religion  still  remained,  and  it 
was  remarkably  discovered  in  one  place.  A  young  Bap- 
tist minister  was  invited  to  preach  in  Pepperell,  forty 
miles  north-westerly  from  Boston,  and  it  had  so  much 
effect,  that  a  number  of  people  met  with  a  change ; 
another  minister  was  sent  for,  and  six  persons  declared 
their  experiences  before  them,  who  were  judged  to  be  fit 
subjects  for  baptism.  And  on  June  26,  1778,  they  met 
in  a  field,  by  the  side  of  a  river,  for  worship  and  the  ad* 

*  Gordon's  History,  vol.  i.  p.  427,  428. 


1778.]  RIOT    AT    PEPPERELL.  195 

ministration  of  that  ordinance.  But  in  the  midst  of  their 
worship,  the  chief  men  of  the  town  came  at  the  head  of  a 
mob  and  broke  it  up.  The  ministers  tried  to  reason  with 
them  about  their  conduct,  but  in  vain ;  and  a  dog  was 
carried  into  the  river,  and  dipped,  in  contempt  of  their 
opinion.  A  gentleman  of  the  town  then  invited  the  Bap- 
tists to  his  house,  near  another  river,  and  they  held  their 
worship  there ;  but  the  chief  men  of  the  town  followed 
them,  and  two  dogs  were  plunged  in  that  river ;  and  one 
young  man* dipped  another  there  with  scorn  and  derision 
of  the  Baptists ;  and  an  officer  of  the  town  went  into  the 
house,  and  advised  these  ministers  to  depart  immediately 
out  of  town  for  their  own  safety.  They  asked  if  their 
liv«s  would  be  in  danger  if  they  did  not  go,  but  received 
no  answer.  But  they  secretly  agreed  with  their  friends 
to  disperse,  and  to  meet  at  another  place  of  water ;  and 
they  did  so,  and  those  six  persons  were  baptized,  after 
which  the  mob  offered  them  some  further  abuse.  These 
things  were  laid  before  the  Warren  Association  in  Sep- 
tember, by  whose  direction  an  account  of  them  was  pub- 
lished in  Boston,  which  the  town  of  Pepperell  answered, 
and  the  Baptisjts  replied  thereto,  and  made  the  town 
ashamed  of  what  they  had  done. 

At  the  same  time  an  event  took  place  which  weakened 
the  society  of  Quakers  more  than  any  thing  had  done 
before,  since  they  first  came  into  existence.  With  much 
art  and  labour,  their  church  had  become  numerous  in  Eng- 
land and  America,  which  they  held  to  be  but  one  church, 
and  that  all  their  children  were  born  in  it,  and  they  did 
not  allow  them  to  hear  any  teachers  but  their  own.  And 
they  had  five  houses  for  public  worship  in  the  town  of 
Dartmouth,  which  then  included  what  is  now  three  towns. 
But  after  our  war  began,  one  of  their  most  noted  ministers 
published  a  pamphlet,  to  persuade  them  to  pay  what  they 
were  taxed  for  the  war,  to  defend  America  against  Britain. 
Upon  which  they  dealt  with  him  as  a  transgressor  of  the 
rules  of  their  church,  and  they  expelled  him  from  it  in 
1778.  But  this  caused  a  division  among  them,  and  it 
reached  to  Philadelphia,  and  it  opened  a  door  for  their 
vhildren  to  go  to  hear  other  teachers ;  and  two  Baptist 


196  CHURCH    HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.      [CH.  XCI. 

churches  have  been  formed  since,  where  there  were  none 
before. 

The  Baptists  were  so  generally  united  with  their 
country  in  the  defence  of  their  privileges,  that  when  the 
general  court  at  Boston  passed  an  act,  in  October,  1778, 
to  debar  all  men  from  returning  into  their  government, 
whom  tliey  judged  to  be  their  enemies,  and  named  three 
hundred  and  eleven  men  as  such,  there  was  not  one  Bap- 
tist among  them.  Yet  there  was  scarce  a  Baptist  mem- 
ber in  the  legislature  who  passed  this  act,  -n 

In  the  same  year  a  new  plan  of  government  was  formed  I 
for  Massachusetts,  which  took  in  their  old  taxing  laws 
for  ministers,  who  were  exceeding  earnest  for  its  adoption; 
but  they  then  failed  of  their  design.  But  they,  by  de- 
ceitful arts,  at  length  obtained  what  they  were  after.  And, 
in  the  mean  time.  Dr.  Chauncy  published  a  sermon  in 
September,  1778,  wherein  he  held  up  to  the  world,  that 
the  neglect  of  our  legislature,  to  make  an  act  to  compel 
the  people  to  make  up  to  ministers  what  their  salaries  had 
lacked  from  the  depreciation  of  our  public  currency,  was 
an  accursed  thing,  which  caused  the  defeat  of  our  army 
on  Rhode  Island ! 


J 


CHAPTER  XII. 

A  new  constitution  formed — Unjust  accusations  against  the  Baptists 
— k  plea  of  conscience  against  them — Ministers  discover  their  mis- 
takes— The  kingdom  of  Christ  described — Connecticut  schemes 
against  it — Yet  God  now  revived  his  work  greatly — Methodism 
described — Bishops  come  over  from  England — Episcopacy  abolish- 
ed in  Virginia — A  new  constitution  of  government  established  in 
America — President  Washington  favours  the  Baptists — A  great 
revival  on  our  eastern  coasts — Also  to  the  westward. 

A  CONVENTION  met  at  Boston,  September  1,  1779,  to 
form  a  new  constitution  of  government  for  us,  and  they 
chose  a  committee  to  make  a  draught  for  it,  and  adjourned. 


1779.]  BAPTISTS    FURTHER  OPPRESSED.  197 

A  general  fast  was  appointed  to  pray  for  direction  in  the 
affair,  on  November  4;  and  on  the  10th,  the  article  was 
brought  in,  to  give  rulers  power  to  support  ministers  by 
force ;  and  in  order  to  get  a  vote  for  it,  Mr.  John  Adams 
accused  the  Baptists  of  sending  an  agent  to  Philadelphia, 
when  the  first  Congress  was  sitting  there,  to  try  to  break 
the  union  of  these  colonies  in  the  defence  of  all  our  pri- 
vileges. And  Mr.  Paine  accused  the  Baptists  of  reading 
a  long  memorial  there,  in  which  were  some  things  against 
our  government,  which  he  believed  never  existed.  Many 
in  the  convention  were  greatly  inflamed  thereby,  and  a 
vote  was  obtained  to  adopt  said  article.  And  did  not  these 
men,  "  fast  for  strife  and  debate,  and  to  smite  with  the  fist 
of  wickedness  ?"  Isaiah  Iviii.  4. 

As  the  Baptist  agent  was  soon  informed  of  these  things, 
he  wrote  a  narrative  of  the  affair,  naming  his  accusers, 
and  challenging  them  to  a  fair  hearing  upon  it  before  any 
proper  judges,  and  published  it  in  the  Chronicle  at  Boston, 
December  2,  1779  ;  and  he  has  never  heard  of  any  answer 
since.  Though  when  the  first  general  court  upon  the 
constitution  met  at  Boston,  October  25,  1780,  a  chief 
minister  of  the  town  said  in  a  sermon  before  them,  "  I 
know  there  is  diversity  of  sentiments  respecting  the  ex- 
tent of  civil  power  in  religious  matters.  Instead  of  enter- 
ing into  the  dispute,  may  I  be  allowed  from  the  warmth 
of  my  heart  to  recommend,  where  conscience  is  pleaded 
on  both  sides,  mutual  candour  and  love."* 

But  do  any  men  plead  conscience  for  violating  their 
own  promises  ?  Or  are  any  conscientious  in  denying  all 
the  country  the  liberty  which  they  have  long  enjoyed  in 
Boston  ?  Yea,  what  do  they  do  with  their  consciences  in 
Boston,  where  the  laws  are  made,  since  they  are  not  en- 
forced there  ?  And  if  men  call  interest  conscience,  where 
is  their  religion?  A  just  answer  to  these  questions  may  be 
very  serviceable.  The  views  of  another  minister,  who 
had  a  hand  in  forming  our  constitution,  discover  how  far 
they  were  from  right  ideas  about  the  kingdom  of  Christ; 
for  he  said  to  our  general  court, 

•  Cooper^s  Sermon,  p.  37,  38. 
17* 


198  CHURCH    HISTORY    OF    NEW  ENGLAND.     [CH.  XH. 

**  The  law  of  self-preservation  will  always  justify  op- 
posing a  cruel  and  tyrannical  imposition,  except  where 
opposition  is  attended  with  greater  evils  than  submission ; 
which  is  frequently  the  case  where  a  few  are  oppressed 
by  a  large  and  powerful  majority.  This  shows  the 
reason  why  the  primitive  Christians  did  not  oppose  the 
cruel  persecutions  that  were  inflicted  upon  them  by  the 
heathen  magistrates  ;  they  were  few  compared  with  the 
heathen  world,  and  for  them  to  have  attempted  to  resist 
their  enemies  by  force,  would  have  been  like  a  small 
parcel  of  sheep  endeavouring  to  oppose  a  large  number  of 
ravening  wolves  and  savage  beasts  of  prey ;  it  would 
without  a  miracle  have  brought  upon  them  inevitable  ruin 
and  destruction.  Hence  the  wise  and  prudent  advice  of  , 
our  Saviour  to  them  was,  "  When  they  persecute  you  in  j 
this  city,  flee  ye  to  another.'**  ^.^ 

But  this  is  so  opposite  to  truth,  that  our  Lord  said  to 
his  heathen  judge,  '*  My  kingdom  is  not  of  this  world: 
if  my  kingdom  were  of  this  world,  then  would  my  ser- 
vants fight,  that  I  should  not  be  delivered  to  the  Jews ; 
but  now  is  my  kingdom  not  from  thence."   John  xviii,    , 
36.     And  Paul  says,  *'  The  weapons  of  our  warfare  are  J 
not  carnal,  but  mighty  through  God  to  the  pulling  down 
of  strongholds,  casting   down  imaginations,  and  every 
high  thing  that  exalteth  itself  against  the  knowledge  of 
God,  and  bringing  into  captivity  every  thought  to  the  1 
obedience  of  Christ."  2  Cor.  x.  4,  5.     Therefore  all  the 
use  of  carnal  weapons,  to  support  religious  ministers,  that 
ever  has  been  in  the  world,  has  been  a  violation  of  the 
laws  of  Christ ;  for  he  is  the  only  head  of  his  church,  and 
each  church  that  supports  her  ministers  in  the  name  of 
any  earthly  head,  is  a  harlot.    And  the  power  of  spiritual 
weapons  was  such,  that  God  again  revived  his  work  in 
1779,  and  it  prevailed  so  far  for  three  years,  as  greatly  to 
increase  the  old  Baptist  churches,  and  to   form  above 
thirty  new  ones  in  New  England,  besides  many  more  in    \ 
the  southern  parts  of  America.     And  as  pure  religion  is^ 
directly  against  all  oflfensive  wars,  and  fills  the  people  of  \. 

•  West*s  Election  Sermon,  May  29,  1776,  p.  19. 


1784.]  APOSTOLIC   SUCCESSION.  199 

God  with  an  earnest  desire  and  pursuit  of  justice  and 
equity,  this  revival  had  a  great  influence  in  procuring  the 
peace  of  1783. 

But  as  it  came  on,  many  discovered  more  of  their  own 
blindness ;  for  a  minister  of  great  note  in  Connecticut 
said  to  their  l^islature,  **  The  pastors  are  orderly  and 
regularly  set  apart  to  the  ministry,  by  the  laying  on  of  the 
hands  of  the  presbytery,  or  of  those  who  have  regularly 
derived  office  power,  in  a  lineal  succession,  from  the 
apostles  and  Jesus  Christ."  And  though  he  knew  that 
the  first  ministers  in  our  country  were  ordained  by  their 
churches,  arid  did  not  hold  to  such  succession,  yet  he 
said,  "  These  were  all  ordained  before  by  the  bishops  in 
England."*  And  they  had  theirs  from  Rome,  the  mother 
of  harlots,  the  great  city  which  reigneth  over  the  kings  of 
the  earth.  Rev.  xvii.  5.  18.  Great  Britain  has  lost  all 
her  power  here,  and  our  rulers  have  sworn  to  renounce 
all  foreign  power  over  America,  and  yet  they  compel  the 
people  to  support  ministers  who  claim  a  power  of  office 
from  England.     How  shocking  is  this  ! 

They  also  accuse  us  of  renouncing  the  true  God,  be- 
cause we  have  renounced  a  successive  baptism  which 
came  from  Rome.  For  so  many  had  been  baptized  in 
Connecticut,  that  their  general  association  set  one  of  their 
number  to  write  against  the  Baptists  ;  and  he  said  to  them, 
"  When  you  rebaptize  those  in  adult  years,  which  we 
have  baptized  in  their  infancy,  you  and  they  jointly  re- 
nounce that  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  whom  we 
adore  and  worship,  as  the  only  living  and  true  God,  and 
on  whom  we  depend  for  all  our  salvation."!  Whereas 
we  have  only  renounced  an  invention  of  men,  which 
came  from  Rome,  and  is  never  named  in  the  word  of  God. 
Yet  we  are  constantly  complained  of,  because  we  cannot 
receive  it  as  his  ordinance. 

In  the  year  1784,  the  year  in  which  Dr.  Chauncy  held 

•  Election  sermon  at  Hartford,  May  8,  1783,  by  Ezra  Stiles,  D.  D. 
President  of  Yale  College,  p.  58.  61. 

\  An  address  to  his  Anabaptist  brethren,  by  Joseph  Huntingdon, 
D.  D.,  1783,  p.  23. 


i 


200  CHURCH    HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.     [cH.  XII, 

Up  the  doctrine  of  purgatory  in  Boston,  laws  were  made 
in  Connecticut  to  force  people  to  support  such  ministers, 
and  the  like  was  soon  done  in  Massachusetts.  The  chief 
rulers  of  New  Hampshire,  for  many  years,  were  not  of 
the  Congregational  denomination,  and  therefore  the  peo- 
ple did  not  suffer  so  much  from  them  as  they  did  in 
Massachusetts  and  Connecticut,  and  so  I  have  passed 
them  over.  And  there  is  such  a  mixture  in  Vermont, 
that  I  have  no  account  of  great  sufferings  there.  But 
the  behaviour  of  various  parties  in  England,  at  this  time, 
may  deserve  some  notice. 

Mr.  John  Wesley  was  with  Mr.  Whitefield  in  Oxford 
College,  where  they  obtained  the  name  of  Methodists, 
because  of  their  strict  method  of  acting  about  religion ; 
and  they  appeared  to  be  united  in  one  cause,  until  Wesley 
came  out  against  particular  election  and  final  perseverance, 
about  1739;  after  which  Mr.  Wqpley  travelled  and  la- 
boured earnestly,  in  England,  Scotland,  and  Ireland,  to 
promote  a  particular  sect,  until  America  became  independ- 
ent of  Britain ;  and  then  he  took  the  thirty-nine  articles 
of  the  church  of  England,  and  reduced  them  to  twenty- 
four,  with  new  forms  of  prayer  and  discipline,  and  printed 
them  in  London,  in  1784,  and  called  them,  **  The  Sunday 
service  in  North  America ;"  thus  presuming  to  be  a  law- 
giver for  this  great  country.  Many  of  his  followers  met 
in  Maryland,  December  27,  1784,  and  drew  up  a  pam- 
phlet, called,  **  A  form  of  discipline  for  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal church  in  America."  They  hold  to  three  orders  of 
office,  one  above  another,  called  Bishops,  Elders,  and 
Deacons,  besides  preachers  who  are  not  ordained.  They 
plainly  give  up  the  opinion  of  a  lineal  succession  from  the 
aposties,  because  it  cannot  be  proved.  They  hold  to  per- 
fection in  this  life,  and  yet  that  saints  may  fall  away  and 
perish  forever.  They  hold  that  Christ  died  equally  for 
all  mankind,  and  that  no  man  is  elected  until  he  is  con- 
verted. And  if  any  one  who  was  sprinkled  in  infancy  is 
not  satisfied  with  it,  and  will  join  with  them,  they  will 
go  into  the  water  and  baptize  him.  And  they  have 
preached  these  sentiments  through  these  United  States, 
and  in  Canada  and  Nova  Scotia.     Many  have  doubtless 


1786.1  ORDINATION    OF    AMERICAN    BISHOPS.  201 

been  reformed  by  their  means,  and  some  converted ;  but 
they  readily  receive  awakened  persons  to  communion, 
without  a  profession  of  regeneration.  Hereby  church 
and  world  are  as  really  bound  together  as  they  were  in 
old  worldly  establishments  ;  whereas  the  Son  of  God  says 
to  his  children,  "If  ye  were  of  the  world,  the  world  would 
love  his  own ;  but  because  ye  are  not  of  the  world,  but  I 
have  chosen  you  out  of  the  world,  therefore  the  world 
hateth  you."  John  xv.  19.  He  chose,  or  elected  them 
out  of  the  world,  and  so  they  are  elect  according  to  the 
foreknowledge  of  God  the  Father,  through  sanctifieation 
of  the  Spirit  unto  obedience,  and  sprinkling  of  the  blood 
of  Jesus  Christ.  1  Pet.  i.  2.  God  the  Father  hath 
chosen  us  in  Christ,  before  the  foundation  of  the  world, 
that  we  should  be  holy,  and  without  blame  before  him  in 
love.  Eph.  i.  3,  4.  He  chose  them  that  they  should  be 
holy,  and  not  as  they  become  holy  in  conversion.  If 
our  conversion  and  holiness  were  the  cause  of  God's 
electing  us,  our  salvation  would  be  of  works,  and  not  of 
grace ;  and  this  would  also  exclude  all  men  from  hope^ 
who  see  that  they  are  wholly  under  sin,  and  have  natu- 
rally no  good  thing  in  them. 

There  were  many  others  in  England  that  held  to  a 
lineal  succession  of  office,  who  wanted  to  have  power  in 
America  ;  but  as  no  bishop  could  be  ordained  in  England,, 
without  swearing  to  the  king's  supremacy.  Dr.  Samuel 
Seabury  went  into  Scotland,  and  obtained  the  name  of 
Bishop  of  Connecticut,  from  men  who  claimed  a  succes- 
sion from  bishops  in  England,  who  refused  to  swear  alle- 
giance to  King  William,  after  he  came  to  the  throne  in 
1689.  But  as  this  was  not  liked  in  England,  letters  were 
written  to  America  about  it,  and  one  minister  went  over 
from  New  York,  and  another  from  Philadelphia,  and  a 
special  act  of  Parliament  then  exempted  them  from  said 
Oath,  and  they  were  ordained  bishops  of  the  states  where 
they  belonged,  to  which  they  returned  in  1786.  So  that 
America  has  men  now,  whom  England  allows  to  be  regu- 
lar bishops,  and  who  can  make  others  so ;  but  as  Britain 
cannot  compel  us  to  receive  or  support  them,  they  have 
increased  their  denomination  but  very  little   anywhere^ 


202  CHURCH  HISTORY   OF   NEW  ENGLAND.     [cH.  XII. 

and  they  have  but  one  minister  in  all  the  old  colony  of 
Plymouth ;  and  their  establishment  is  abolished  in  Vir- 
ginia. 

That  colony  was  first  planted  in  1607,  the  first  of  all 
our  colonies,  and  the  church  of  England  had  all  the  go- 
vernment there  until  1775,  when  Britain  commenced  a  war 
against  us,  in  which  dissenters  from  them  prevailed,  and 
took  away  the  support  of  those  ministers  by  law.  And 
though  they  tried  hard  to  regain  their  power  afterwards, 
yet,  in  the  beginning  of  1786,  a  law  was  made,  which 
said : 

"  Well  awar^  that  Almighty  God  hath  created  the  mind 
free ;  that  all  attempts  to  influence  it  by  temporal  punish- 
ments or  burdens,  or  by  civil  incapacitjitions,  tend  only  to 
beget  habits  of  hypocrisy  and  meanness,  and  are  a  depart- 
ure from  the  plan  of  the  holy  Author  of  our  religion,  who, 
being  Lord  both  of  body  and  mind,  yet  chose  not  to  pro- 
pagate it  by  coercions  on  either,  as  was  in  his  almighty 
power  to  do;  that  the  impious  presumption  of  legisla- 
tures and  rulers,  civil  or  ecclesiastical,  who  being  them- 
selves but  fallible  and  uninspired  men,  have  assumed 
dominion  over  the  faith  of  others,  setting  up  their  own 
opinions  and  modes  of  thinking  as  the  only  true  and  in- 
fallible, and  as  such  endeavouring  to  impose  them  on 
others,  have  established  and  maintained  false  religions 
over  the  greatest  part  of  the  world,  and  through  all  time ; 
that  to  compel  a  man  to  furnish  contributions  of  money 
for  the  propagation  of  opinions  which  he  disbelieves  is 
sinful  and  tyrannical ;  that  even  the  forcing  him  to  sup- 
port this  or  that  teacher  of  his  own  religious  persuasion, 
is  depriving  him  of  the  comfortable  liberty  of  giving  his 
contributions  to  the  particular  pastor  whose  morals  he 
would  make  his  pattern,  and  whose  powers  he  feels  most 
persuasive  to  righteousness,  and  is  withdrawing  from  the 
ministry  those  temporal  rewards,  which,  proceeding  from 
an  approbation  of  their  personal  conduct,  are  an  additional 
incitement  to  earnest  and  unremitting  labours  for  the  in- 
struction of  mankind ;  that  our  civil  rights  have  no  depend- 
ence on  our  religious  opinions,  more  than  on  our  opinions 
in  physics  or  geometry ;   that  therefore  the  proscribing 


1786.]        LIBERTY    OF    CONSCIENCE    IN    VIRGINIA.  203 

any  citizen  as  unworthy  the  public  confidence,  by  laying 
upon  him  an  incapacity  of  being  called  to  offices  of  trust 
and  emolument,  unless  he  profess  or  renounce  this  or 
that  religious  opinion,  is  depriving  him  injuriously  of 
those  privileges  and  advantages  to  which,  in  common  with 
his  fellow-citizens,  he  has  a  natural  right ;  that  it  tends 
also  to  corrupt  the  principles  of  that  very  religion  it  is 
meant  to  encourage,  by  bribing  with  a  monopoly  of  worldly 
honours  and  emoluments,  those  who  will  externally  pro- 
fess and  conform  to  it;  that  though  indeed  those  are 
criminal  who  do  not  withstand  such  temptations,  yet 
neither  are  those  innocent  who  lay  the  bait  in  their  way ; 
that  to  suffer  the  civil  magistrate  to  intrude  his  powers 
into  the  field  of  opinion,  and  to  restrain  the  profession  or 
propagation  of  principles  on  supposition  of  their  ill  ten- 
dency, is  a  dangerous  fallacy,  which  at  once  destroys  all 
religious  liberty,  because  he,  being  of  course  judge  of  that 
tendency,  will  make  his  opinions  the  rule  of  judgment, 
and  approve  or  condemn  the  sentiments  of  others,  only  as 
they  shall  square  with  or  differ  from  his  own ;  that  it  is 
time  enough  for  the  rightful  purposes  of  civil  government 
for  its  officers  .to  interfere  when  principles  break  out  into 
overt  acts  against  peace  and  good  order ;  and  finally,  that 
truth  is  great  and  will  prevail  if  left  to  itself;  that  she  is 
the  proper  and  sufficient  antagonist  to  error,  and  has 
nothing  to  fear  from  the  conflict,  unless  by  human  inter- 
position, disarmed  of  her  natural  weapons,  free  argument 
and  debate;  errors  ceasing  to  be  dangerous  when  it  is^ 
permitted  freely  to  contradict  them. 

"  Be  it  therefore  enacted  by  the  General  Assembly , 
That  no  man  shall  be  compelled  to  frequent  or  support 
any  religious  worship,  place  or  ministry  whatsoever,  nor 
shall  be  enforced,  restrained,  molested,  or  burdened  in  his 
body  or  goods,  nor  shall  otherwise  suffer  on  account  of 
his  religious  opinions  or  belief;  but  that  all  men  shall  be 
free  to  profess,  and  by  argument  to  maintain,  their  opi- 
nions in  matters  of  religion,  and  that  the  same  shall  in 
no  wise  diminish,  enlarge,  or  affect  their  civil  capacities. 

**  And  though  we  well  know  that  this  assembly,  elected 
by  the  people  for  the  ordinary  purposes  of  legislation 


204  CHURCH    HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.     [CH.  XII. 

only,  have  no  power  to  restrain  the  acts  of  succeeding 
assemblies,  constituted  with  powers  equal  to  our  own, 
and  therefore  to  declare  this  act  irrevocable,  would  be  of 
no  effect  in  law,  yet  we  are  free  to  declare,  and  do  de- 
clare, that  the  rights  hereby  asserted  are  of  the  natural 
rights  of  mankind,  and  that  if  any  act  shall  be  hereafter 
passed  to  repeal  the  present,  or  to  narrow  its  operation, 
such  act  will  be  an  infringement  of  natural  right."* 

Though  many  have  imagined  that  such  liberty  favours 
infidelity,  yet  Christianity  is  in  full  favour  of  it ;  and  the 
power  of  the  gospel,  against  all  the  powers  of  Rome, 
prevailed  as  far  and  farther  than  the  Roman  empire  ex- 
tended, for  two  hundred  years.  And  Christianity  has 
never  appeared  in  the  world,  in  its  primitive  purity  and^ 
glory,  since  infant  baptism  was  brought  in,  and  after  ilt 
the  sword  of  the  magistrate  to  support  religious  teachers. 
Yea,  the  foregoing  declaration  of  Dr.  Chauncy  plainly 
says  as  much ;  and  the  inconsistencies  and  contradictions, 
that  he  and  others  have  been  guilty  of,  serve  to  confirm 
the  above  observation. 

The  credit  of  the  paper  money,  which  supported  our 
war  for  several  years,  gradually  declined,  until  it  entirely 
failed  in  1781  ;  so  that  if  a  kind  Providence  had  not 
opened  other  ways  for  us,  the  independence  of  America 
could  not  have  been  established.  And  when  that  was 
granted,  private  and  public  debts,  and  the  fierce  methods 
that  were  taken  to  recover  them,  brought  on  an  insurrec- 
tion in  Massachusetts,  where  the  war  began.  It  was  then 
found  to  be  necessary  for  a  new  plan  to  be  formed  for  the 
government  of  all  these   states ;    and  this   was  done  in 

1787.  A  large  convention  met  at  Boston,  in  January, 

1788,  to  consider  of  this  new  constitution,  where  men 
discovered  what  was  in  their  hearts  in  various  ways.  1 
before  observed  that  a  constitution  for  Massachusetts  was 
formed  in  1778,  which  was  not  accepted.  But  I  would 
observe  now,  that  when  it  was  in  suspense,  a  noted  mi- 
nister said  to  our  rulers,  '*  Let  the  restraints  of  religion 
once  be  broken  down,  as  they  infallibly  would  be  by 

*  Jefferson's  Notes  on  Virginia,  p.  242 — ^244, 


1788.]         INCONSISTENCY  OF  PAYSON.  205 

leaving  the  subject  of  public  worship  to  the  humours  of 
the  multitude,  and  we  might  well  defy  all  human  wisdom 
and  power  to  support  and  preserve  order  and  government 
in  the  state."*  Yet  this  same  man  was  in  the  Conven- 
tion of  1788,  wherein  much  was  said  against  adopting  a 
constitution  of  government,  which  had  no  religious  tests 
in  it ;  and  he  was  then  in  favour  of  the  constitution,  and 
to  promote  the  adoption  of  it,  he  said,  **  The  great  object 
of  religion  being  God  supreme,  and  the  seat  of  religion 
in  man  being  the  heart  or  conscience,  that  is,  the  reason 
God  has  given  us,  employed  on  our  moral  actions,  in 
their  most  important  consequences,  as  related  to  the  tri- 
bunal of  God,  hence  I  infer  that  God  alone  is  the  God 
of  the  conscience,  and,  consequently,  attempts  to  erect 
human  tribunals  for  the  consciences  of  men  are  impious 
encroachments  upon  the  prerogatives  of  God."* 

Can  these  two  paragraphs,  from  one  man,  possibly  be 
reconciled  together  ?  Yea,  or  can  any  men  support  mi- 
nisters by  the  sword  of  the  magistrate,  without  acting  con- 
trary to  a  good  conscience  ?  The  support  of  the  ministers 
of  Christ  is  as  plainly  a  matter  of  conscience  towards 
God,  as  any  ordinance  of  his  worship  is.  This  I  shall 
more  clearly  prove  hereafter.  In  the  mean  time,  the  sen- 
timents and  example  of  the  greatest  men  in  America  de- 
serve our  serious  notice. 

After  General  Washington  was  established  as  Presi- 
dent of  these  United  States,  a  general  committee  of  the 
Baptist  churches  in  Virginia  presented  an  address  to  him, 
in  August,  1789,  wherein  they  expressed  a  high  regard 
for  him  ;  but  a  fear  that  our  religious  rights  were  not  well 
secured  in  our  new  constitution  of  government.  In  an- 
swer to  which,  he  assured  them  of  his  readiness  to  use 
his  influence  to  make  them  more  secure,  and  then  said, 
"  While  I  recollect  with  satisfaction,  that  the  religious 
society  of  which  you  are  members  have  been,  throughout 
America,  uniformly  and  almost  unanimously  the  firm 
friends  of  civil  liberty,  and  the  persevering  promoters  of 


*  Payson's  Election  Sermon,  May  27,  1778,  p.  20. 
j-  Debates  in  Convention,  p.  1 48. 
18 


206  CHURCH     HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.    [CH.   XII. 

our  glorious  Revolution,  I  cannot  hesitate  lo  believe  that 
they  will  be  the  faithful  supporters  of  a  free,  yet  efficient  , 
general  government."*  And  an  amendment  to  the  consti- 
tution was  made  the  next  month,  which  says,  -i-i 
I     *'  Congress  shall  make  no  law,  establishing  articles  of    | 
faith,  or  a  mode  of  worship,  or  prohibiting  the  free  exer- 
cise of  religion,  or  abridging  the  freedom  of  speech,  or 
of  the  press,  or  the  right  of  the  people  peaceably  to  as- 
semble, and  to  petition  to  the  government  for  a  redress 
of  grievances." 

This  was  dated  September  23,  1789;  and  it  has  been 
adopted  by  so  many  of  the  states,  that  it  is  part  of  the 
constitution  of  our  general  government,  and  yet  Massachu-  , 
setts  and  Connecticut  act  contrary  to  it  to  this  day.  And  I 
so  all  the  evils  that  worldly  establishments  have  ever  pro-  ' 
duced  ought  to  be  considered  as  a  warning  to  them ;  for 
our  Lord  assured  the  Jews,  that  all  the  blood  which  had 
been  shed  by  former  persecutors,  whom  they  imitated, 
should  be  required  of  them.  Matt,  xxiii.  29 — 35.  And 
the  blood  that  was  shed  at  Boston,  an  hundred  and  forty 
years  ago,  brought  the  greatest  reproach  upon  New  Eng- 
land of  any  thing  that  was  ever  done  in  it.  A  mistaken 
idea  of  good,  in  maintaining  the  government  of  the  church 
over  the  world,  was  the  cause  of  that  evil ;  but  the  worst 
of  men  in  our  land  have  equal  votes  with  the  best,  in 
our  present  government.  A  view  of  this  caused  many 
fathers  in  Boston  to  procure  an  act  to  abolish  the  use  of 
force  there  for  the  support  of  religious  ministers  ;  and  all 
that  is  done  of  that  nature  in  the  country  is  contrary  to 
that  example,  as  well  as  to  our  national  government. 

A  work  of  the  Spirit  of  God  at  this  time  discovered 
the  glory  of  a  free  gospel ;  for  many  new  plantations  on 
our  eastern  coasts  had  scarce  any  ministers  at  all  to  preach 
to  them,  as  a  view  to  worldly  gain  could  not  draw  them 
there ;  but  a  man  who  was  born  in  1734,  and  settled  near 
Kennebec  river,  was  converted  in  October,  1781,  and 
then  said,  <'  Now  I  began  to  see  the  base  views  I  for- 
merly had  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  of  the  plan  of 

*  Leland'g  Virginia  Chronicle,  p.  47,  48. 


1790.]  REVIVALS.  207 

salvation ;  for  when  I  had  a  discovery  of  actual  sins,  and 
of  the  danger  I  was  exposed  to  thereby,  I  would  repent 
and  reform,  and  think  what  a  glorious  Saviour  Christ 
was,  and  that  some  time  or  other  he  would  save  me  from 
hell,  and  take  me  to  glory,  with  a  desire  to  be  happy,  but 
no  desire  to  be  holy.  But,  glory  to  God  !  he  now  gave 
me  another  view  of  salvation.  Now  I  saw  his  law  to  be 
holy,  and  loved  it,  though  I  and  all  my  conduct  was  con- 
demned by  it.  Now  I  saw  that  God's  justice  did  not 
strike  against  me  as  his  creature,  but  as  a  sinner ;  and 
that  Christ  died,  not  only  to  save  from  punishment,  but 
from  sin  itself.  I  saw  that  Christ's  office  was  not  only 
to  make  men  happy,  but  also  to  make  them  holy ;  and 
the  plan  now  looked  beautiful  to  me ;  and  I  had  no  desire 
to  have  the  least  titde  of  it  altered,  but  all  my  cry  was  to 
be  conformed  to  this  glorious  plan." 

It  appeared  to  him  to  be  his  duty  to  leave  the  care  of 
his  farm  to  his  wife  and  children,  and  to  go  from  house 
to  house,  for  many  miles  round,  to  converse  with  all  he 
could  meet  with,  about  the  concerns  of  their  souls  and 
eternal  salvation.  And  though  many  were  stupid  at  first, 
yet  in  the  beginning  of  1782,  powerful  effects  appeared, 
so  tl'cit  they  set  up  religious  meetings,  and  one  after  an- 
otht  r  came  out  into  spiritual  liberty,  and  he  and  others 
were  led  into  the  Baptist  principles,  even  before  they  had 
seen  a  Baptist  minister.  But  hearing  of  these  things  at  a 
distance,  some  preachers  went  among  them,  and  the  work 
was  promoted  thereby,  and  it  went  on  through  the  year 
1783.  In  May,  1784,  a  Baptist  church  was  formed  in 
Bowdoinham,  and  another  in  Thomaston,  and  pastors 
were  settled  in  each  of  them.  A  church  was  also  formed 
in  Harpswell,  January  20,  1785,  and  a  pastor  was  or- 
dained there  the  fall  after.  These  three  churches  began 
an  association  in  1787,  which  increased  to  six  churches 
in  1790,  and  three  hundred  and  seventeen  members. 

These  new  churches  had  many  secret  and  open  enemies 
to  encounter  in  a  wilderness ;  yet  God  was  pleased  to  re- 
vive his  work  again  in  1791,  so  that  five  churches  were 
formed  in  that  year,  and  four  in  1792.  And  by  August, 
1802,   they    had    increased    to    forty-one  churches,  and 


208  CHUKCH    HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.     l_CH.  XII. 

twenty-five  ordained  ministers,  in  the  counties  of  Cum- 
berland, Lincoln,  and  Kennebec,  and  one  thousand  seven 
hundred  and  fifty-four  members,  besides  many  preachers 
who  were  not  ordained.  So  many  in  eighteen  years.  In 
the  mean  time  there  was  such  a  revival  granted  in  and 
near  Swansea,  in  1789,  and  on  our  western  borders  in 
that  and  the  year  before,  that  above  five  hundred  persons 
were.baptized  in  those  places.  To  open  still  more  clearly 
the  nature  of  what  these  people  call  religion,  I  shall  give 
a  distinct  account  of  one  new  church  on  our  western 
borders. 

In  the  adjoining  borders  of  Bethlehem,  Sandisfield,  and 
Tyringham,  in  the  county  of  Berkshire,  a  number  of 
people,  who  lived  remote  from  parish  meetings,  set  up  a 
meeting  among  themselves,  in  1784,  to  pray,  sing,  and  to 
read  sermons  ;  and  they  concluded  not  to  admit  any  man 
who  was  not  a  Paedobaptist  to  carry  on  among  them. 
And  they  went  on  in  that  way,  until  a  man  who  was  a 
Baptist  came  to  their  meeting  in  the  fall  of  1787 ;  and  as 
he  spake  in  public  at  times,  they  allowed  him  to  do  so 
once  among  them.  This  he  did  to  their  satisfaction,  so 
that  they  desired  him  to  proceed  in  that  way,  and  such  a 
blessing  was  granted  on  his  labours,  that  a  Baptist  minis- 
ter was  sent  for  in  March,  1788,  when  nineteen  persons 
were  baptized  and  formed  into  a  church,  called  the  Second 
Baptist  church  in  Sandisfield.  And  they  increased  to 
forty  members,  when  Mr.  Benjamin  Baldwin  was  or- 
dained their  pastor,  June  9,  1790.  They  afterwards  met 
with  cruel  oppression  from  the  Congregational  party, 
from  which  they  in  vain  sought  for  relief  in  courts ; 
though  their  oppressors  at  length  gave  up  such  proceed- 
ings. Yet  declension  and  coldness  came  on  among  the 
Baptists,  until  the  work  of  God  was  again  revived  among 
them  in  June,  1798,  and  prevailed  through  the  winter 
after.  And  they  say,  "  conferences  and  lectures  were  at- 
tended in  Sandisfield,  Bethlehem,  and  Tyringham,  and  in 
the  two  last  places  almost  every  night  in  the  week. 
Neither  storms  of  snow,  nor  piercing  cold  could  obstruct 
their  attending  divine  worship.  The  most  delicate  cha- 
racters did  not  observe  the  severity  of  the  weather,  in 


1793.]  DR.    MANNING.  209 

following  Jesus  down  the  banks  of  Jordan  into  the  liquid 
grave.  This  work  appeared  to  go  on  with  great  soiem- 
nity,  and  scarce  an  instance  appeared  of  any  overheated 
zeal,  or  flight  of  passion.  Both  sinners  under  conviction, 
and  those  who  were  newly  brought  into  the  liberty  of  the 
gospel,  conversed  in  their  meetings  with  the  greatest  free- 
dom ;  they  spake  one  at  a  time,  in  the  most  solemn  and 
impressive  manner.  Their  enemies  were  bound,  and 
there  was  not  a  dog  to  move  his  tongue.  It  appeared 
also  in  the  first  church,  and  in  neighbouring  towns.  In 
one  year  there  were  added  to  this  church  about  sixty,  and 
about  as  many  to  the  first  church,  and  some  to  other 
churches.  In  the  following  years,  about  twenty  were 
added  to  our  church  each  year.  Our  present  number  is 
one  hundred  and  seventy-five,  November  12,  1801." 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

Manning's  character  and  death — Others  raised  to  supply  his  place — 
The  increase  of  the  Baptists  makes  others  expose  themselves — 
Cruelty  shown  to  the  Baptists — Their  first  church  in  Connecticut 
better  treated — They  increase  there — Religion  greatly  revived 
through  the  country — Even  to  Virginia,  Georgia,  and  Ken- 
tucky— A  book  from  England  reprinted  against  them — Remarks 
upon  it 

Dr.  Manning  was  a  faithful  preacher  of  the  gospel,  and 
president  of  our  college  for  twenty-five  years,  until  he 
was  called  out  of  our  world,  July  29,  1791,  in  his  fifty- 
third  year.  He  was  a  good  instructer  in  human  learning, 
but  at  every  commencement  he  gave  a  solemn  charge  to 
his  scholars,  never  to  presume  to  enter  into  the  work  of 
the  ministry,  until  they  were  taught  of  God,  and  had 
reason  to  conclude  that  they  had  experienced  a  saving 
change  of  heart.  And  a  tutor  in  the  college,  who  ap- 
peared to  have  met  with  such  a  change  in  October,  1789, 
was  instrumental  of   a  revival  of  religion,  both  in  the 

18* 


210  CHURCH    HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.    [cH.  Xn». 

college  and  in  the  town,  and  he  was  called  into  the  mi- 
nistry, and  then  was  a  president  of  the  college  eleven 
years.  And  then  another  tutor  was  hopefully  converted, 
and  called  into  the  ministry,  and  has  been  president  ever 
since.  And  I  hope  succeeding  ages  will  follow  these  ex- 
amples. 

But  as  the  Baptists  increased  much,  in  many  parts  of 
our  land,  a  minister  in  the  west  parts  of  Massachusetts 
endeavoured  to  make  an  improvement  upon  the  plan 
which  Dr.  Stiles  had  published  in  Connecticut ;  and  his 
book  was  so  pleasing  to  many,  that  it  passed  six  editions 
in  about  two  years,  the  last  of  which  was  at  Boston,  in 
1793.  His  text  is  Matt.  vii.  15,  16 ;  and  he  tried  all  his 
art  to  represent  all  teachers  in  our  land  to  be  wolves  in 
sheep's  clothing,  who  were  not  ordained  by  ministers 
who  hold  a  succession  from  England,  and  who  do  not  re- 
gard parish  lines.  And  he  says,  **  A  good  shepherd  at- 
tends to  his  own  proper  charge ;  the  wolf  is  a  rapacious, 
prowling  animal,  not  satisfied  with  taking  out  of  one  flock, 
he  roams  from  flock  to  flock,  and  can  never  have  enough." 
And  of  an  uninterrupted  succession  from  the  apostles,  he 
says,  "It  is  by  no  means  necessary,  that  by  historical 
deduction  we  should  prove  an  uninterrupted  succession ; 
we  have  a  right  to  presume  it,  until  evidence  appears  to 
the  contrary."*  But  God  says,  "  Who  hath  required 
this  at  your  hands  to  tread  my  courts  ?  Your  hands  are 
full  o(  blood, ^^  Isaiah  i.  12,  15.  And  the  bloody  hands 
of  teachers  in  Rome  and  England  could  never  convey 
just  authority  to  any  other  ministers. 

This  was  so  evident  to  the  fathers  of  this  country,  that 
they  allowed  none  to  be  pastors  of  their  churches,  but 
such  as  each  church  elected  and  ordained,  as  I  before 
proved.  And  Mr.  Cotton  said,  "  The  power  of  the  mi- 
nisterial calling  is  not  derived  from  ordination,  whether 
Episcopal,  or  Presbyterial,  or  Congregational.  The 
power  of  the  ministerial  calling  is  derived  chiefly  from 
Christ,  furnishing  his  servants  with  gifts  fit  for  the  call- 
ing ;  and  nextly  from  the  church  (or  congregation)  who 

*  Lathrop's  Diseours<^s,  p.  26. 56. 


1793.]  MINISTERIAL    POWER.  211 

observing  such  whom  the  Lord  hath  gifted,  do  elect  and 
call  ihein  forth  to  come  and  help  them."* 

From  hence  came  the  name  Congregational,  the  mean- 
ing of  which  many  have  departed  from,  though  they  still 
usurp  the  name.  But  it  is  well  known  in  America,  that 
it  is  the  election  of  the  people  that  gives  our  civil  officers 
their  power,  and  not  the  oaths  which  they  take  from 
other  officers.  And  ordination  of  ministers  is  no  more 
than  swearing  them  to  be  faithful  in  that  office.  Their 
being  furnished  with  grace  and  gifts  for  it,  is  the  most 
essential  thing  in  the  affair ;  for  an  inspired  apostle  says, 
*^'  As  every  man  hath  received  the  gift,  even  so  minis tet 
the  same  one  to  another,  as  good  stewards  of  the  manifold 
gTdice  of  God.  If  any  man  speak,  let  him  speak  as  th€ 
oracles  of  God  ;  if  any  man  minister,  let  him  do  it  as  of 
the  ability  which  God  giveth ;  that  God  in  all  things  may 
be  glorified  through  Christ  Jesus.  The  elders  which 
are  among  you  I  exhort,  who  am  also  an  elder,  and  a 
witness  of  the  sufferings  of  Christ,  and  also  a  partaker  of 
the  glory  that  shall  be  revealed ;  feed  the  flock  of  God 
which  is  among  you,  taking  the  oversight  thereof,  not  by 
constraint,  but  willingly;  not  for  filthy  lucre,  butof  a  ready 
mind ;  neither  as  being  lords  over  God's  heritage,  but  being 
ensamples  to  the  flock.  And  when  th6  chief  Shepherd  shall 
appear,  ye  shall  receive  a  crown  of  glory  that  fadeth  not 
away.  Likewise  ye  younger,  submit  yourselves  unto  the 
elder ;  yea,  all  of  you  be  subject  one  to  another,  and 
be  clothed  with  humility ;  for  God  resisteth  the  proud, 
and  giveth  grace  to  the  humble."  1  Pet.  iv.  10,  11; 
v.  1—5. 

Here  we  may  plainly  see,  that  the  gifts  and  graces 
which  God  bestows  on  men  for  the  ministry,  gives  them 
their  internal  call  to  go  into  that  work ;  and  the  union  of 
the  church  in  calling  and  receiving  them,  and  the  acting 
as  a  united  body,  is  the  essence  of  the  government  which 
Christ  has  established  in  each  of  his  churches.  All  men 
who  claim  a  power  of  office  above  the  churches,  desire  to 
be  lords  over  God's  heritage.     And  we  must  not  forget 

*  Answer  to  WiHiams,  part  second,  p.  82. 


213  CHURCH    HISTORY   OF    NEW    ENGLAND.    [CH.  XIII. 

that  teachers  are  to  be  known  by  their  fruits,  and  not  by 
ordination.  Thorns  and  thistles  wound  the  flesh,  or  tear 
away  the  property  of  others;  which  is  done  by  impri- 
soning their  persons,  or  taking  away  their  goods  unjustly. 
If  we  regard  this  rule,  which  Christ  has  given  to  know 
false  teachers  by,  how  plainly  do  they  appear  in  our  land ! 
A  great  many  instances  of  imprisonment,  and  spoiling  of 
goods,  to  support  ministers  whom  the  people  did  not  | 
choose,  have  been  given  already,  and  more  are  before  us  J 

The  Baptist  church  in  Barnstable  was  formed,  June  20, 
1771,  and  they  were  not  free  of  sufferings,  though  they 
were  not  great,  until  God  revived  his  work  there  in  1781, 
and  it  increased  their  church  and  society,  and  they 
ordained  a  pastor  therein,  in  1788,  who  had  preached  to 
them  five  years.  Yet  in  that  time,  and  in  two  years 
after,  more  than  a  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  were  forced 
from  them  for  ministers  whom  they  did  not  hear.  But 
the  committee  of  the  Warren  Association  met  at  Boston, 
in  January,  1791,  and  wrote  to  the  officers  of  the  parishes 
who  oppressed  them,  in  such  a  manner  as  caused  them  to 
refrain  from  proceeding  in  that  way,  though  they  did  not 
restore  the  money  which  they  had  taken  away  unjustly. 
Much  greater  evils  were  soon  after  done  in  another  place ; 
for  a  Baptist  church  was  formed  and  organized  in  the 
south  part  of  Harwich  in  1757,  and  they  built  them  a  meet- 
ing-house, and  carried  on  their  worship  for  about  forty 
years,  when  there  was  no  Congregational  minister  in  that 
parish.  But  when  the  Baptists  were  without  a  pastor,  in 
the  fall  of  1792,  a  Congregational  minister  was  ordained 
there,  and  the  Baptists  treated  him  in  a  friendly  manner, 
while  they  still  maintained  their  own  worship,  and  soon 
got  them  another  minister.  Yet  after  they  had  done  it,  a 
few  of  the  Congregational  party,  in  the  beginning  of  1794, 
taxed  all  the  Baptist  church  and  society  to  their  minister ; 
and  near  the  close  of  1795,  they  imprisoned  six  men  for 
it,  and  forced  away  much  property  from  others.  This 
was  so  glaringly  unjust,  and  even  contrary  to  the  law  of 
the  government,  that  the  Baptists  sued  for  recompense, 
in  1796,  and  obtained  judgment  in  their  favour,  in  their 
county  court.     But  their  oppressors  appealed  to  their  su- 


1796.]  NEW    OPPRESSIONS.  213 

perior  court,  and  obtained  judgment  against  the  Baptists, 
who  in  the  whole  lost  above  five  hundred  dollars.  False 
witnesses  had  an  evident  hand  in  this.  And  as  the  Con- 
gregational party  found  that  their  courts  favoured  them, 
they  thought  they  might  do  as  they  pleased. 

An  aged  and  pious  Baptist  deacon,  who  never  was  of 
the  Congregational  party,  wrote  to  Boston,  November  12, 
1799,  and  said,  **  On  the  26th  of  last  July,  the  collector 
of  Harwich  came  and  seized  about  four  or  five  bushels  of 
my  rye,  and  carried  it  off,  and  sold  it  for  one  dollar,  and 
made  above  two  dollars  charge  on  it;  and  on  the  13th  of 
August,  the  same  collector,  Edward  Hall,  came  and  seized 
about  three  tons  of  my  hay,  and  carried  it  off,  and  sold  it 
for  forty-nine  shillings,  and  returned  me  five  shillings  and 
sixpence.  For  all  this  I  was  taxed  to  their  minister  but 
seven  shillings  and  a  penny.  I  have  given  you  as  exact 
account  as  possible.     These  from  yours  in  gospel  bonds, 

Abner  Chase." 

The  rye  was  taken  out  of  the  field  before  it  was  threshed, 
so  that  the  exact  quantity  was  not  known.  Now  the 
only  reason  tha*^  is  given  in  our  constitution  of  govern- 
ment, for  empowering  rulers  to  support  teachers  by  force, 
is  because  **  the  happiness  of  a  people,  and  the  good 
order  of  civil  government  essentially  depend  upon  piety, 
religion,  and  morality."  But  how  opposite  hereto  is  the 
above  conduct!  Our  Lord  says,  '*  All  things  whatsoever 
ye  would  that  men  should  do  to  you,  do  ye  even  so  to 
them  ;  for  this  is  the  law  and  the  prophets."  Mat.  vii. 
12.  And  is  there  one  man  among  us,  who  would  be 
willing  to  be  compelled  to  support  any  teacher  that  he 
never  chose  ?  Yet  this  is  the  natural  consequence  of 
allowing  any  men  to  support  teachers  by  the  sword  of 
the  magistrate.  And  this  practice  has  caused  the  effusion 
of  blood  among  all  nations,  more  than  any  other  means 
in  the  world.  And  the  combination  of  rulers  and  teachers 
herein,  I  believe,  is  the  beast  and  false  prophet,  which 
will  finally  be  cast  into  the  burning  lake.  Rev.  xix.  20. 
When  this  shall  be  done,  the  glory  of  the  latter  day  will 
come  on,  as  it  is  described  in  the  next  chapter ;  though 
this  great  event  is  freely  left  with  Him  to  whom  it  belongs. 


2^14  CHURCH    HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.  [CH.  XllU 

But  as  God  never  allowed  Israel  to  use  any  force  for  the 
support  of  his  priests,  how  can  any  be  willing  to  use 
compulsion  for  the  support  of  religious  ministers  ?  No 
man  can  be  satisfied  that  others  have  a  right  to  take  away 
his  property  for  nothing,  yea,  and  worse  than  nothing. 

Any  Congregational  minister  may  avoid  oppressing  the 
people,  if  he  will.  This  appeared  plain  in  the  case  of 
the  first  Baptist  church  in  Connecticut.  It  was  formed 
about  1705,  in  the  town  of  Groton,  under  the  ministry 
of  Mr.  Valentine  Wightman.  They  suffered  some  at  first, 
but  when  Mr.  John  Owen  became  the  minister  of  the 
town,  he  was  not  for  forcing  any  money  from  the  Baptists ; 
and  when  the  great  revival  of  religion  came  on,  he  and 
Wightman  were  agreed  in  it,  until  the  latter  died  in  1747. 
His  son.  Timothy  Wightman,  was  ordained  in  his  place, 
May  20,  1756,  and  he  was  a  faithful  and  successful  minis- 
ter, until  he  died  joyfully,  November  14, 1796,  aged  near 
78,  when  he  left  215  members  in  his  church.  After 
which,  his  son,  John  Gano  Wightman,  succeeded  him  in 
that  office.  A  daughter  of  their  first  pastor  married  a  Mr. 
Rathbun,  two  of  whose  sons,  and  two  of  his  grandsons, 
are  ordained  Baptist  ministers,  and  so  have  been  some 
others  of  the  Wightman  family. 

Their  first  minister  assisted  in  forming  a  Baptist  church 
in  Stonington,  in  1743,  and  a  second  was  formed  there  in 
1765.  But  a  number  there  and  more  in  Groton  were 
then  for  continuing  the  communion  of  the  two  denomina- 
tions together,  and  many  churches  were  formed  upon 
that  plan ;  and  they  began  a  yearly  meeting  in  1785, 
called,  The  Groton  Conference.  But  they  have  given  up 
mixed  communion  in  later  years,  and  are  come  into  con- 
nexion with  the  rest  of  our  associations. 

Much  declension  and  coldness  about  religion  came  on 
in  1797,  which  was  lamented  by  the  faithful  of  different 
denominations  ;  but  a  great  work  came  on  in  the  spring 
of  1798,  in  many  parts  of  America.  It  began  at  Mans- 
field in  Connecticut,  in  a  remarkable  mannerr  A  letter 
from  Windham  in  October  mentions  it,  and  says,  "  The 
Spirit  of  the  Lord  seemed  to  sweep  all  before  it,  like  an 
overflowing  flood,  though  with  very  little  noise  or  crying, 


1798.]  REVIVALS    IN    CONNECTICUT.  215 

out.  It  was  wonderful  to  see  the  surprising  alteration  in 
that  place  in  so  short  a  time.  I  conclude  there  are  not 
less  than  an  hundred  souls  converted  in  that  town  since 
the  work  began.  It  soon  after  began  in  Hampton,  but 
did  not  spread  with  that  degree  of  rapidity  as  it  did  in 
Mansfield.  The  same  happy  work  has  lately  taken  place 
in  Ashford."  Soon  after  this,  Hartford,  their  capital 
city,  experienced  the  like  work  among  the  Congrega- 
tional and  Baptist  societies.  A  Presbyterian  minister, 
who  went  from  Massachusetts  to  a  town  above  them,  said 
on  February  6,  1799,  "  I  stopped  at  Hartford,  and 
preached  five  sermons.  The  spirit  of  hearing  at  Hart- 
ford is  greater  than  any  representations  which  have  been 
made.  Young  people  of  both  sexes  flock  by  hundreds, 
and  the  prospect  is  flattering  in  the  extreme.  Conference 
meetings  are  held  every  night  in  different  private  houses. 
In  Mr.  Strong's  society  sixty  are  thought  to  be  under  con- 
viction, and  twenty  have  been  hopefully  brought  into  gos- 
pel liberty.  In*  Mr.  Nelson's  thirty,  and  some  in  Mr. 
Flint's.  This  sacred  flame  has  spread  into  many  neigh- 
bouring towns,  and  the  pious  are  flocking  into  Hartford 
to  be  eye-witnesses  of  this  glorious  work.  I  have  felt 
myself  so  much  engaged  in  preaching,  visiting,  and  con- 
versing with  old  and  young,  that  my  attention  has  been 
literally  taken  off*  from  wife,  children,  flock,  and  bbdily 
infirmities."  It  was  said  that  this  work  spread,  more  or 
less,  into  an  hundred  towns  in  Connecticut. 

In  April,  1798,  Mr.  Blood,  pastor  of  a  Baptist  church 
at  Shaftsbury  in  Vermont,  had  his  soul  greatly  aflfected 
with  the  low  state  of  religion  among  them,  with  earnest 
cries  that  God  would  pour  out  his  Spirit  upon  the  souls 
of  men,  and  save  them  from  sin  and  ruin.  In  July  fol- 
lowing, a  person  who  had  been  converted  before,  came 
forward  in  baptism ;  and  her  declaration  and  example 
awakened  many  others,  and  four  were  baptized  in  Au- 
gust, and  seventeen  in  September.  And  the  work  went 
on  in  such  a  manner,  that  on  February  21,  1799,  he  said, 
**  The  whole   number  added  to  this  church,  since  last 

•  Nelson's  church  are  Baptists. 


216  CHURCH    HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.  [CH.  XHI. 

May,  is  one  hundred  and  seventy-five ;  twenty-five  by 
letter  and  other  ways,  and  one  hundred  and  fifty  by  bap- 
tism. Our  whole  number  is  three  hundred  and  forty-six. 
Many  of  this  number  are  removed  into  difll'erent  parts  of 
the  country ;  there  are,  however,  nearly  three  hundred 
that  live  in  the  vicinity,  the  remotest  of  them  not  more 
than  six  miles  from  our  meeting-house.  There  are  also 
about  seventy  added  to  the  west  church  in  this  town  since 
the  work  began ;  and  thirteen  to  the  east  church.  In 
years  past  there  has  not  been  the  most  cordial  fellowship 
between  the  three  churches  in  this  town ;  but  the  Lord 
has  now  effected  a  happy  union  between  us.  On  the 
last  Lord's-day  in  January,  we  all  met  at  one  communion 
table.  That  happy  day  my  soul  had  desired  for  years. 
Nothing  but  experience  could  have  made  me  believe  it 
possible,  that  I  could  have  felt  so  much  solid  delight,  an- 
ticipated so  much  trouble,  and  rejoiced  with  so  much 
trembling,  at  one  and  the  same  time.  That  day  I  trust 
will  never  be  forgotten  by  me.  In  about  two  months  after 
the  work  began,  the  whole  town  seemed  to  be  aflfected. 
Conference  meetings  were  attended  two  or  three  times  in 
a  week  in  almost  every  neighbourhood  ;  and  it  was  sur- 
prising to  me,  that  scarcely  a  single  instance  appeared  of 
any  overheated  zeal,  or  flight  of  passion.  Both  sinners 
under  conviction,  and  those  newly  brought  into  the  liberty 
of  the  gospel,  conversed  in  their  meetings  with  the  great- 
est freedom ;  they  spake  one  at  a  time  a  few  words,  in 
the  most  solemn  manner  I  ever  heard  people  in  my  life. 
And  in  general  they  spake  so  low,  that  their  assemblies 
must  be  perfectly  still,  or  they  could  not  hear  them  ;  yet 
a  remarkable  power  attended  their  conversation.  Sinners 
would  tremble  as  though  they  felt  themselves  in  the  im- 
mediate presence  of  the  great  Jehovah.  Some  of  all 
ranks  and  characters  among  us  have  been  taken ;  from 
the  most  respectable  members  of  society,  to  the  vilest  in 
the  place.  Some  of  our  most  noted  Deists  have  bowed 
the  knee  to  King  Jesus;  and  a  number  of  Universalists 
have  forsaken  their  delusions,  and  embraced  the  truth." 
And  when  the  Shaftsbury  Association  met  in  June,  1799; 
they  had  accounts  that  two  hundred  and  fifty-nine  had 


1799.]  REVIVALS    DESCRIBED.  217 

been  added  in  the  year,  to  the  three  churches  in  Shafts- 
bury,  and  not  one  member  had  died  in  that  time.  Also 
that  the  addition  to  their  whole  association  that  year  was 
seven  hundred  and  thirty-two. 

This  work  was  also  great  on  our  eastern  coasts.  Mr. 
Peter  Powers,  a  Congregational  minister  on  Deer  Island 
in  Penobscot  Bay,  wrote  from  thence,  March  20,  1799, 
and  said,  **  In  the  beginning  of  June  last,  I  was  called  to 
Mount  Desert  to  administer  sacraments  to  a  church  who 
have  not  a  stated  pastor,  and  tarried  with  them  about  nine 
days ;  when,  in  preaching  my  second  sermon,  the  glory 
of  the  Lord  came  down  in  a  wonderful  manner.  One 
convicted,  and  hopefully  converted  under  the  sermon, 
was  added  to  the  church  about  two  days  after,  and  three 
others  who  had  before  obtained  a  hope.  Three  months 
after  this  I  went  again  to  administer  the  Lord's  supper, 
at  which  time  I  admitted  twenty-eight  who  had  hopefully 
been  brought  home  in  the  interval.  The  work  of  con- 
viction was  then  going  on  powerfully  in  the  town,  and 
spreading  into  those  adjoining  on  the  same  island.  Our 
association  had  licensed  dear  Mr.  Ebenezer  Eaton  to 
preach,  who  improved  his  talent,  labouring  night  and 
day  among  them,  whom  the  Lord  remarkably  owned. 
How  many  have  been  brought  out  since  I  was  there,  1 
am  not  informed ;  but  according  to  the  best  accounts, 
there  are  many.  The  Lord  multiply  the  number,  and  add 
to  the  church  of  such  as  shall  be  saved. 

'*  I  now  come  a  little  nearer  home.  In  the  beginning 
of  winter,  this  glorious  work  began  in  Sedgwick,  under 
the  pastoral  care  of  the  Rev.  Daniel  Merrill.  Perhaps 
there  hath  not  been  a  work  so  powerful,  and  so  much  like 
the  work  fifty-eight  years  ago.  In  a  time  of  such  extra- 
ordinaries,  it  could  not  reasonably  be  expected  but  some 
things  would  be  a  little  wild  and  incoherent,  considering 
the  various  tempers,  infirmities,  and  dispositions  of  man- 
kind :  but  I  believe  my  young  dear  brother  Merrill,  to- 
gether with  experienced  Christians,  were  very  careful  to 
distinguish  the  precious  from  the  vile ;  to  correct  errors, 
to  set  them  in  the  way  of  His  steps,  so  that  there  appears 
to  be  no  prevalence  of  enthusiasm  among  them,  accord- 
19 


218  CHURCH    HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.   [cH.  XlH. 

ing  to  the  best  information.  How  great  the  number  is 
of  those  who  have  been  brought  to  hope,  I  am  not  able 
to  give  any  tolerable  account.  Some  say  there  are  about 
an  hundred,  others  about  double  that  number;  I  believe 
they  are  all  very  uncertain.  Blessed  be  God,  the  work 
is  yet  going  on  there,  though  not  with  equal  rapidity. 

'*  And  now,  dear  sir,  let  your  imagination  paint  to 
your  view  the  striking  scene  of  a  hundred  souls,  men, 
women,  and  children,  at  the  same  time  under  the  work 
of  the  law.  The  tears,  sobs,  groans,  and  cries  issuing 
from  scores  at  a  time  !  All  the  terrors  of  the  law  crowd- 
ing and  pressing  in  upon  them;  their  sins,  in  infinite 
number  and  aggravations,  staring  them  in  the  face ;  all 
their  old  vain  hopes  gone,  and  cut  off,  and  every  refuge 
failing  !  Hear  them  freely  confessing  their  old  abomina- 
tions, their  former  enmity  to  the  great  doctrines  of  ori- 
ginal sin,  election,  the  sovereignty  of  divine  free  grace,  the 
power  of  God  displayed  in  effectual  vocation  ;  above  all, 
the  justice  of  God  in  their  damnation  !  How  often  are 
souls  brought  out  into  peace  and  comfort  of  the  love  of 
God,  and  the  sweet  consolations  of  the  Holy  Spirit !  The 
dead  hear  the  voice  of  the  Son  of  God,  and  live.  Children 
are  brought  to  cry,  *  Hosanna  to  the  Son  of  David.'  In- 
deed this  glorious  work  has  been  wonderful  among  child- 
ren ;  and  God  has  made  instruments  of  them  to  perfect 
praise  in  carrying  on  his  work. 

"  This  blessed  work  of  God  has  begun  in  Blue  Hill ; 
but  as  yet  has  not  gained  the  ascendency.  I  shall  there- 
fore come  to  my  own  dear  people  of  Deer  Isle.  And 
here,  perhaps,  the  work  is  as  remarkable  as  at  Sedgwick, 
but  not  so  rapid.  Not  more  than  eight  months  ago  it  ap- 
peared to  me  that  religion  was  near  expiring  among  us, 
except  in  a  very  handful  of  professors.  Deism  had  taken 
an  unaccountable  stride,  and  spread  itself  over  a  grej^t 
number  of  the  inhabitants.  And  now,  no  Bible,  no  Christ; 
but  the  Christian  religion,  and  Christians,  were  the  song 
of  the  drunkard  ;  and  every  drunkard,  and  every  vice,  was 
deemed  harmless,  and  inoffensive  to  God.  I  had  no 
reason  to  think  but  by  the  next  annual  meeting  of  the 
town,  they  would  vote  the  gospel  out  from  them.     When 


1799.]  REVIVALS    DESCRIBED.  219 

the  afore-mentioned  work  at  Penobscot  and  Mount  Desert 
was  going  on,  it  seemed  to  have  no  influence  on  our 
people.  This,  you  may  be  sure,  was  very  grievous  to 
me.  However,  I  think  I  was  enabled  to  bear  witness  to 
the  truth  with  great  freedom.  In  October,  I  perceived  a 
more  close  attention  to  the  word,  but  nothing  special  as 
yet.  After  I  was  confined  to  my  house,  the  work  began 
to  appear ;  and  though  I  could  not  go  abroad  to  preach  at 
the  meeting-house,  there  was  seldom  a  day  but  more  or 
less  visited  me  under  their  trouble,  and  I  preached  in  my 
own  house  when  I  was  not  able  to  stand  on  my  feet.  At 
length  we  had  the  assistance  of  Mr.  E.  Eaton,  whom  God 
remarkably  owns.  I  believe  there  are  about  forty  men, 
women,  and  children,  who  have  obtained  a  hope ;  and 
great  numbers  are  under  pressing  conviction.  The  work 
is  now  on  the  increase.  May  the  Lord  continue  and  still 
increase  it,  till  they  are  all  brought  in.  The  mouth  of 
deism  is  at  present  stopped,  and  against  the  children  of 
Israel  not  so  much  as  a  dog  is  suffered  to  move  his 
tongue." 

A  Brptist  minister  of  Lyme  in  Connecticut,  on  June 
30,  1799,  wrote  to  Boston,  and  said,  "Though  the 
sever 'y  of  last  winter  was  tedious,  yet  I  have  not  heard 
any  one  complain,  or  shrink  at  the  cross,  on  account  of 
the  coldness  of  the  weather.  This  work  has  been  glo- 
riously carried  on  in  the  spirit  of  love.  In  the  first  part 
of  it,  there  was  great  crying  out,  but  it  gradually  subsided 
into  free  deliberate  conversation  on  the  dreadful  situation 
they  were  in  by  nature,  and  their  full  determination  to 
continue  seeking  till  they  should  find  him  of  whom 
Moses  and  the  prophets  did  write.  I  never  saw  less  op- 
position to  any  work  of  God  I  ever  was  acquainted  with. 
More  than  a  hundred  we  hope  have  received  the  grace  of 
God,  and  more  than  eighty  have  joined  with  our  church. 
The  present  number  of  members  is  three  hundred  and 
thirty-six." 

Extracts  from  these  and  other  letters  were  printed  in  a 
pamphlet  at  Boston,  and  afterwards  at  Philadelphia.  At 
the  same  time  they  had  a  great  work  among  the  Baptists 
near  Kennebec   river.      Elder  James  Potter,  the  instru- 


220  CHURCH     HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.  [CH.  XIII. 

inent  of  beginning  the  revival  there,  had  ninety-seven 
members  added  to  his  church  in  Bowdoin,  in  1798  and 
1799  ;  and  live  hundred  and  seventy-five  were  then  added 
to  the  whole  of  their  association.  And  Boston,  Bridg- 
water, Middleborough,  and  many  other  places  had  a  share 
of  these  blessings  ;  and  so  had  some  places  to  the  south- 
ward.  1 

I  received  a  letter  from  Elder  Benjamin  Watkins  of  / 
Virginia,  dated  June  30,  1801,  in  which  he  says,  *'I  have 
lived  to  see  several  revivals  in  our  parts,  but  the  last  has 
been  the  greatest,  which  originated  about  two  years  ago, 
in  several  churches  belonging  to  the  middle  district  asso- 
ciation. Before  the  revival  began,  wickedness  had  gotten 
to  a  great  height.  Deism  and  irreligion  abounded  on 
every  hand.  Professors  had  become  very  carnal,  many 
had  apostatized,  so  that  there  were  but  a  few  names  in 
Sardis  who  had  not  defiled  their  garments  ;  so  that  I  had 
some  awful  fears  about  our  condition,  and  was  dreading 
that  some  great  judgment  would  befall  our  wretched  land. 
But,  contrary  to  my  fears,  the  Lord  visited  us  in  a  way  of 
mercy,  by  stirring  up  his  church  often  to  ^semble  to- 
gether, and  to  carry  on  worship  by  prayer  and  fasting, 
called  prayer  meetings.  And  he  came  amongst  us,  and 
the  sacred  flame  has  spread  in  various  parts  of  Virginia ; 
so  that  we  may  truly  say.  The  lines  are  fallen  unto  us  in 
pleasant  places,  and  we  have  a  goodly  heritage. 

''Our  church,  called  Spring  Creek,  has  an  addition  by 
baptism,  since  the  revival  began,  of  upwards  of  two  hun- 
dred members  ;  brother  Clay's  about  the  same  number,  or 
more  ;    brother    Smith's  about  an  hundred ;  Tomahawk 
Church  about  fifty  ;  Skinquarter  near  an  hundred  ;  Elder 
Webber's  church  two  hundred  or  more  ;  and  several  other 
churches  have  had  some  smart  additions.     The  work  has  ; 
chiefly  been  among  the  young  people  ;  there  has  not  been 
nigh  so  much  noise  amongst  us,  as  there  was  in  1785 
and  1786.     Many  would  come  and  give  a  declaration  of    -^ 
the  work  of  God  upon  their  souls,  that  made  no  noise  at     \ 
all ;  and,  what  was  remarkable,  a  number  of  children,      \ 
from  ten  to  fifteen  years  of  age,  would  come  and  tell  of      j 
the  goodness  of  God,  while  the  old  people,  who  had  lived  J 


1800.]  REVIVALS    IN    VIRGINIA.  221 

n 

to  see  several  revivals,  are  still  left  out,  exposed  to  the  > 
wrath  and  displeasure  of  God." 

All  the  churches  mentioned  above,  are  in  the  three 
counties  of  Powhatan,  Chesterfield,  and  Goochland,  in 
the  middle  part  of  Virginia,  a  little  above  the  city  of 
Richmond,  their  capital.  I  had  much  delight  in  preach- 
ing in  all  of  them,  when  I  was  there  in  the  spring  of 
1789,  when  they  had  about  two  hundred  Baptist  churches 
in  the  whole  of  Virginia.  And  the  work  has  been  great 
since  in  many  places  farther  southward.  A  minister  in 
the  upper  part  of  Georgia  wrote  to  his  friend  in  Savan- 
nah, November  17,  1801,  and  said,  **  several  churches 
here,  within  three  or  four  months  past,  have  received  and 
baptized  from  twenty  to  fifty  persons ;  and  one  in  Elbert 
county  has  had  an  addition  by  baptism  of  about  an  hun- 
dred and  forty.  And  according  to  the  best  accounts  from 
Kentucky,  there  have  been  added  to  the  Baptist  churches, 
since  last  March,  near  six  thousand,  while  multitudes 
were  joining  to  the  Methodists  and  Presbyterians." 

This  was  put  into  our  public  papers,  and  sent  into  all 
the  country.  Those  who  held  to  infant  baptism  were 
very  uneasy  under  such  things,  which  they  discovered  in 
a  remarkable  manner;  for  early  in  1802,  a  book  from 
England  was  reprinted  at  Exeter,  in  New  Hampshire, 
written  by  a  minister  who  had  been  a  Baptist,  who  held 
up  to  the  world,  that  the  greatest  writers  in  England 
against  infant  baptism  were  guilty  of  sophistry  and  deceit 
in  their  arguments,  as  he  had  clearly  found  by  experience. 
And  it  was  said  that  this  testimony  had  been  published 
seven  years  in  England,  and  no  answer  had  been  made  to 
it.  This  was  so  wonderful,  that  it  passed  four  or  five 
editions  in  about  a  year,  in  the  different  States  of  New 
.England.  But  when  this  glorying  was  at  the  highest,  an 
answer  came  out  of  the  press  at  Boston,  in  December, 
1802,  which  was  first  published  in  London  the  same  year 
that  the  first  book  came  out  there.  The  facts  here 
follow. 

Mr.  Peter  Edwards  was  first  a  zealous  advocate  for  in- 
fant baptism  in  London,  and  then  turned  suddenly  fronii 
it ;  became  a  Baptist  preacher,  and  was  ordained  in  a 
19* 


222  CHURCH    HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.  [CH.  XIII 

Baptist  church  near  Portsmouth  in  England  ;  but  in  about 
ten  years  he  changed  again,  and  published  this  book,  to 
give  the  reasons  for  his  renouncing  the  principles  of  the 
Baptists,  in  the  beginning  of  1795  ;  and  Dr.  Joseph  Jen- 
kins of  London  answered  him  the  same  year.  Edwards 
holds  up,  with  much  confidence,  that  faith  and  repentance 
were  required  of  all  adult  persons,  in  order  for  circumci- 
sion as  well  as  baptism  ;  and  therefore  that  all  which  is 
said  in  the  gospel  about  the  baptizing  of  believers,  is  no 
argument  against  believers  having  their  infants  baptized. 
He  accuseth  the  Baptists  in  general  of  denying  the  use 
of  inferences  and  consequences,  in  arguments  for  infant 
baptism,  but  of  using  them  against  that  practice,  which 
he  calls  sophistry  and  deceit.  Having  disarmed  the  Bap- 
tists, as  he  imagined,  he  lays  down  his  foundation  in 
these  words:  '*  1.  God  has  instituted  in  his  church  the 
membership  of  infants,  and  admitted  them  to  it  by  a  reli- 
gious rite.  2.  The  church  membership  of  infants  was 
never  set  aside  by  God  or  man ;  but  continues  in  force, 
under  the  sanction  of  God,  to  the  present  day."  p.  90. 

But  as  the  Baptists  never  denied  the  true  use  of  infer- 
ences and  consequences  in  any  argument,  the  charge  of 
deceit  and  sophistry  must  be  turned  back  upon  him  who 
advanced  it ;  and  whether  his  foundation  can  stand,  may 
be  judged  of  by  the  following  things. 

1.  Circumcision  was  not  known  in  the  world,  for  above 
two  thousand  years  after  it  was  created ;  and  who  will 
say  that  God  had  no  church  in  the  world  for  all  that 
time  ?  Yea,  when  circumcision  was  instituted,  Lot  and 
other  righteous  men  had  no  concern  in  it ;  neither  had 
any  females  among  the  posterity  of  Abraham,  though  wo- 
men are  baptized  under  the  gospel  as  well  as  men.  2. 
God  said  to  Israel,  '*  The  life  of  the  flesh  is  in  the  bloody 
and  I  have  given  it  to  you  upon  the  altar,  to  make  an 
atonement  for  your  souls."  Lev.  xvii.  11.  And  no 
worship  was  ever  accepted  of  God  from  the  beginning 
without  blood  in  sacrifices.  Abraham  shed  his  own  blood 
in  circumcision,  as  the  father  of  all  believers  in  all  na- 
tions. Rom.  iv.  18.  And  thus  he  was  a  type  of  Christ, 
who  shed  his  blood  to  atone  for  the  sins  of  all  true  be 


1802.]  REMARKS    ON    INFANT    BAPTISM.  223 

lievers,  even  to  the  end  of  the  world.  3.  Abraham  had 
no  right  to  circumcise  any  male  but  such  as  were  born  in 
his  house,  or  bought  with  his  money ;  and  he  circum- 
cised all  the  men  of  his  house,  the  same  day  that  he  cir- 
cumcised himself,  of  whom  he  had  before  three  hundred 
and  eighteen  soldiers.  Gen.  xiv.  14;  xvii.  33,  27.  And 
how  far  is  this  from  a  warrant  for  infant  baptism.  4. 
No  females  were  to  be  circumcised,  to  show  that  it  was  a 
man  and  not  a  woman  who  was  to  die  for  us.  5.  The 
bloody  sign  of  circumcision  weakened  men  so  much,  that 
two  men  destroyed  a  whole  city,  three  days  after  the  men 
in  it  were  circumcised.  Gen.  xxxiv.  25.  But  no  infant 
that  ever  was  sprinkled  could  know  that  it  was  done,  if. 
they  were  not  told  of  it  by  others.  So  far  are  they  frow 
answering  a  good  conscience  in  baptism.  1  Pet.  iii.  21. 
None  but  believers  can  do  it.  6.  Abraham  was  not  to 
circumcise  any  stranger,  until  he  had  bought  him  as  a 
servant  with  his  money,  which  was  a  type  of  our  being 
bought  with  the  blood  of  Christ ;  and  after  he  had  done 
it,  he  said,  **  Circumcision  is  nothing,  and  uncircumcision 
is  nothing,  but  the  keeping  the  commandments  of  God. 
Ye  are  bought  with  a  price ;  be  not  ye  the  servants  of 
men."  1  Cor.  vii.  19.  23.  Which  is  a  plain  repeal  of 
the  covenant  of  circumcision.  It  was  a  type  of  the  death 
of  Christ  to  come,  and  baptism  is  to  be  done  by  faith  in 
him  who  is  already  come.  This  is  a  reason  why  men 
might  be  circumcised  before  they  believed,  and  why  bap- 
tism is  only  for  professing  believers.  7.  Since  he  is 
come,  he  says,  "  Ye  are  all  the  children  of  God  by  faith 
in  Christ  Jesus.  For  as  many  of  you  as  have  been  bap- 
tized into  Christ,  have  put  on  Christ.  There  is  neither 
Jew  nor  Greek,  there  is  neither  bond  nor  free,  there  is 
neither  male  nor  female ;  for  ye  are  all  one  in  Christ  Je- 
sus. And  if  ye  be  Christ's,  then  are  ye  Abraham's  seed, 
and  heirs  according  to  the  promise.  Gal.  iii.  26 — 29. 
Three  things  are  here  excluded  from  baptism,  which 
were  essential  in  circumcision.  8.  The  children  of  Is- 
rael had  no  right  to  admit  strangers  by  households  to 
circtimcision  and  the  passover,  until  the  day  in  which 
they  came  out  of  Egypt.     Ex.  xii.  43 — 51.     But  when 


224  CHURCH    HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.  LcH.  XHI. 

they  were  going  into  Babylon,  it  was  said,  "  Behold  the 
days  come,  saith  the  Lord,  that  I  will  make  a  new  cove- 
nant with  the  house  of  Israel,  and  with  the  house  of  Ju- 
dah,  not  according  to  the  covenant  that  I  made  with  their 
fathers  in  the  day  that  I  took  them  by  the  hand,  to  bring 
them  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt  (which  my  covenant  they 
brake,  although  I  was  an  husband  unto  them,  saith  the 
Lord ;)  but  this  shall  be  the  covenant  that  I  will  make 
with  the  house  of  Israel.  After  those  days,  saith  the 
Lord,  I  will  put  my  law  in  their  inward  parts,  and  write 
it  in  their  hearts,  and  I  will  be  their  God,  and  they  shall 
be  my  people.    And  they  shall  teach  no  more  every  man 

«s  neighbour,  and  every  man  his  brother,  saying.  Know 
e  Lord ;  for  they  shall  all  know  me,  from  the  least  of 
them  unto  the  greatest  of  them,  saith  the  Lord ;  for  I  will 
forgive  their  iniquity,  and  I  will  remember  their  sin  no 
more."  Jer.  xxxi.  31 — 34.  This  is  the  pure  covenant 
of  grace,  since  the  death  of  Christ  hath  taken  away  the 
old  covenant.  Heb.  viii.  7 — 13.  Language  cannot  dis- 
tinguish two  covenants  more  clearly  than  God  hath  here 
done  it.  And  until  old  and  new,  first  and  second,  can  be 
made  to  mean  but  one  covenant,  men  can  never  prove  in- 
fant baptism  by  said  covenant.  9.  God  promised  that 
kings  should  come  out  of  Abraham.  Gen.  xvii.  6.  And 
this  was  fulfilled  in  David  and  his  race,  and  in  the  King 
Messiah ;  and  this  shows  that  no  man  now  can  stand  in 
such  a  relation  to  his  children  as  Abraham  did  to  his. 
Aaron  was  also  a  type  of  Christ,  and  his  lawful  posterity 
were  the  only  priests  in  Israel  until  Christ  came,  when 
the  priesthood  was  changed  ^  and  Christ  is  both  our  king 
and  priest.  Heb.  vii.  12.  And  God  says  to  those  who 
are  born  again,  among  all  nations,  "  Ye  are  a  chosen 
generation,  a  royal  priesthood,  an  holy  nation,  a  peculiar 
people ;  that  ye  should  show  forth  the  praises  of  him 
who  hath  called  you  out  of  darkness  into  his  marvellous 
light."  1  Pet.  i.  23.  ii.  9.  And  such  are  the  only  priests 
and  holy  nation  that  are  ever  named  in  the  church  of 
Christ.  By  his  death  he  abolished  all  those  ancient 
types,  and  formed  his  church  of  all  souls  who  are  boTn 
again  among  all  nations ;  and  oflScers  in  his  church  are 


1802,]  BAPTISTS    IN    SOUTHERN    STATES.  226 

never  called  priests  therein,  in  distinction  from  other 
children  of  God.  Worldly  churches  have  been  built 
upon  infant  baptism,  which  is  not  named  in  the  Holy 
Scriptures. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

A  view  of  the  Baptist  churches  in  South  Carolina — In  Pennsylvania 
and  New  Jersey — In  Virginia — Presbyterians  there — A  difference 
among  the  Baptists  healed — The  cause  of  equal  liberty  among 
them — A  view  of  them  in  North  Carolina — In  Georgia — Of  negro 
Baptists— Of  the  Baptists  in  the  State  of  New  York — In  Kentucky 
— Of  associations — Of  the  number  of  Baptists  in  all  America — Of 
late  revivals — Of  their  likeness  to  the  first  fathers  of  our  country — 
How  infant  baptism  originated — A  happy  change  in  our  govern- 
ment— Light  from  the  case  of  Israel — Of  the  latter-day  glory. 

Truth,  and  love,  and  persecution  for  the  same,  caused 
the  first  planting  of  New  England  ;  and  it  also  caused  the 
planting  of  Baptist  churches  in  the  southern  parts  of 
America.  Some  men  from  here,  and  some  from  Eng- 
land, Wales,  and  Ireland,  all  had  a  hand  in  it.  When 
Elder  William  Scraven  was  cruelly  persecuted  in  the  pro- 
vince of  Maine,  in  1682,  he  went  to  Charleston  in  South 
Carolina,  and  became  pastor  of  a  Baptist  church  there. 
How  long  it  had  been  formed  I  know  not.  But  when  the 
Baptist  church  in  Boston  wanted  a  pastor,  and  sent  for 
him,  who  had  been  one  of  them,  he  wrote  to  them,  June 
2,  1707,  and  said,  "  Our  minister  who  came  from  Eng- 
land is  dead,  and  I  can  by  no  means  be  spared.  I  must 
say  it  is  a  great  loss,  and  to  me  a  great  disappointment ; 
but  the  will  of  the  Lord  is  done."  And  he  wrote  again, 
August  6,  1708,  and  said,  **  I  have  been  brought  very  low 
by  sickness,  but  I  bless  God,  I  was  helped  to  preach,  and 
administer  the  communion  last  Lord's-day  ;  but  am  still 
weak.  Our  society  are  for  the  most  part  in  health,  and 
I  hope  thriving  in  grace.     We  are  about  ninety  in  all." 


226  CHURCH    HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.    [CH.  XIV. 

And  his  posterity  have  been  honourable  and  useful  in 
those  parts  ever  since.  Mr.  Isaac  Chanler  was  a  Baptist 
minister  among  them  for  many  years,  and  a  book  of  his 
upon  the  doctrines  of  the  gospel  was  printed  at  Boston  in 
1744.  Mr.  Oliver  Hart,  from  Pennsylvania,  got  to 
Charleston  in  1749,  just  after  Mr.  Chanler  died,  and  was 
pastor  of  that  church  thirty  years.  But  as  he  was  heartily 
engaged  for  liberty  in  America,  he  left  Charleston,  before 
the  British  forces  took  it,  in  1780,  and  settled  as  pastor 
of  the  Baptist  church  at  Hopewell,  in  New  Jersey,  the 
same  year,  where  he  was  very  useful,  till  he  died  in  1795. 
But  the  Baptist  cause  has  prevailed  much  in  that  state  to 
this  day. 

Thomas  Dungen  of  Newport  was  one  of  the  signers  of 
the  request  to  Mr.  Clarke,  to  go  as  their  agent  to  England 
in  1651,  the  original  of  which  I  now  have.  And  about 
1684,  two  years  after  Pennsylvania  began,  Dungen  went 
there;  and  preached  the  Baptist  principles  among  the 
people,  with  considerable  success ;  and  his  posterity  are 
numerous  among  them  ever  since.  And  about  168(i, 
Elias  Keach,  son  to  Elder  Benjamin  Keach  of  London, 
came  over  to  Philadelphia,  a  wild  young  man,  but  was 
soon  after  converted,  and  laboured  earnestly  to  collect  the 
Baptists  together ;  and  they  formed  a  church  at  Penne- 
peck,  eleven  miles  from  Philadelphia,  in  1688.  Mr. 
Keach  also  was  helpful  in  forming  a  Baptist  church  at 
Middletown,  and  another  at  Piscataway  in  1689  ;  and  one 
at  Cohansey  in  1690,  all  three  in  New  Jersey.  And  these 
four,  with  that  at  Charleston,  were  all  the  Baptist  churches 
that  were  formed  south  of  New  England,  before  the  year 
1700.  Many  of  those  who  constituted  the  church  at  Co- 
hansey, came  from  Ireland;  though  one  of  them  was 
Obadiah  Holmes,  Esq.  a  son  of  the  sufferer  at  Boston  in 
1651  ;  and  others  of  his  posterity  have  since  been  mem- 
bers of  the  church  in  Middletown.  Piscataway,  on  Ra- 
ritan  river  in  Jersey,  sprang  partly  from  people  who  came 
from  Piscataqua  river,  which  has  Kittery  upon  the  north 
side  of  it,  where  the  Baptist  church  was  formed  in  1682, 
who  were  scattered  by  persecution.  Other  members  of 
those  churches  went  from  Rhode  Island  colony,  as  ap- 


1802.]  VARIOUS   SECTS.  227 

pears  by  the  publications  of  Mr.  Morgan  Edwards,  in 
1770,  and  1792.  He  was  born  in  Wales,  from  whence 
also  came  many  ministers  and  members  of  those  churches ; 
and  I  took  many  of  the  above  things  from  him. 

And  he  informs  us  of  many  people  who  came  over 
from  Wales  in  1701,  and  resided  near  their  brethren  at 
Pennepeck,  until  they  removed  in  1703,  and  planted  a 
church  in  a  place  they  called  Welshtract,  then  under  the 
government  of  Pennsylvania,  but  now  under  Delaware 
State.  In  1770,  they  had  increased  to  ten  churches  in 
Pennsylvania,  and  six  hundred  and  sixty-eight  members, 
besides  a  few  who  kept  the  seventh-day  Sabbath.  He 
gives  an  account  also  of  the  Tunkers,  the  first  of  whom 
came  from  Germany  in  1719,  and  had  increased  to  fifteen 
societies,  and  a  large  number  of  communicants,  who  were 
not  in  fellowship  with  the  English  churches.  They  dip 
persons  with  their  faces  forward,  three  times  over.  They 
hold  to  general  redemption,  and  are  much  like  the  old 
Quakers  in  their  general  conduct,  though  more  strict  than 
they  are  now.  The  Mennonists  also  came  from  Germany, 
and  are  of  like  behaviour,  but  they  are  not  truly  Baptists 
now.  Their  jathers  were  so  in  Luther's  day,  until  con- 
finement in  prison  brought  them  to  pour  water  on  the  head 
of  the  subjects,  instead  of  immersion  ;  and  what  was  then 
done  out  of  necessity  is  now  done  out  of  choice,  as  other 
corruptions  are.  When  Edwards  published  his  book  ift.-; 
1792,  the  first-day  Baptists  in  Jersey  had  twenty-four 
churches,  and  two  thousand  nine  hundred  and  ninety-four 
members ;  and  those  who  kept  the  seventh-day  three 
churches  and  two  hundred  and  forty-nine  members.  And 
in  1802,  the  Philadelphia  Association  had  two  thousand 
six  hundred  and  ninety-five  members. 

North  Carolina  had  but  litde  appearance  of  religion  in 
any  part  of  it,  until  late  years.  Some  Baptist  ministers 
from  New  Jersey  and  Pennsylvania  travelled  and  laboured 
there  with  some  success,  and  some  who  went  from  New 
England  settled  there.  Shubael  Stearns  was  born  in  Bos- 
ton, January  28,  1706 ;  but  he  went  to  Connecticut, 
where  he  was  baptized,  arid  was  ordained  at  Tolland, 
March  20,  1751,  and  continued  there  three  years.     But 


228  CHURCH   HISTORY  OF    NEW  ENGLAND.     [cH.  XIV. 

then  his  soul  was  fired  with  zeal  to  carry  light  into  those 
dark  parts  ;  and  in  August,  1754,  he  and  others  set  off  for 
that  purpose,  and  some  of  them  got  into  North  Carolina 
before  him ;  and  he  wrote  to  Connecticut  from  the  south 
part  of  Virginia,  that  they  informed  him  from  Carolina, 
**  That  the  work  of  God  was  great,  in  preaching  to  an  ig- 
norant people,  who  had  little  or  no  preaching  for  a  hun- 
dred miles,  and  no  established  meeting.  But  now  the 
people  were  so  eager  to  hear,  that  they  would  come  forty 
miles  each  way,  when  they  could  have  opportunity  to 
hear  a  sermon."  This  was  dated  June  13,  1755;  and 
Stearns  went  and  settled  upon  Sandy  Creek,  which  runs 
into  Cape  Fear  river,  where  he  formed  a  church,  Novem- 
ber 22,  1755,  which  increased  to  six  hundred  and  six 
members  in  a  few  years,  and  several  other  churches  were 
soon  formed  round  him. 

Daniel  Marshall  was  born  at  Windsor  in  Connecticut, 
and  after  he  was  called  to  preach,  he  went  and  laboured 
some  time  among  the  Indians,  in  the  upper  part  of  New 
Jersey,  and  then  followed  Stearns  into  North  Carolina 
where  he  was  very  successful.  And  in  and  after  1758, 
many  were  converted  and  baptized  near  the  south  borders 
of  Virginia,  and  they  began  an  association  in  1760,  of 
five  churches  in  Carolina,  and  one  in  Virginia,  and  they 
increased  fast.  On  October  16,  1765,  Stearns  wrote  to 
Connecticut,  and  said,  "  The  Lord  carries  on  his  work 
gloriously  in  sundry  places  in  this  province,  and  in  Vir- 
ginia, and  in  South  Carolina.  There  has  been  no  addi- 
tion of  churches,  since  I  wrote  last  year,  but  many  mem- 
bers have  been  added  in  many  places.  Not  long  since,  1 
attended  a  meeting  on  Hoy  river,  about  thirty  miles  from 
hence.  About  seven  hundred  souls  attended  the  meeting, 
which  held  six  days.  We  received  twenty-four  persons 
by  a  satisfactory  declaration  of  grace,  and  eighteen  of 
them  were  baptized.    The  power  of  God  was  wonderful." 

But  we  must  now  come  to  Virginia,  of  which  it  may 
be  said.  The  first  is  last,  and  the  last  first.  It  was  planted 
in  1607,  the  first  of  all  our  English  colonies ;  and  though 
it  was  done  entirely  from  worldly  motives,  yet  the  wor- 
ship of  the  church  of  England  was  established  by  law, 


1802.J  BAPTISTS    IN    VIRGINIA.  229 

and  no  other  worship  was  allowed  of  there  for  an  hun- 
dred years.  In  1643,  three  Congregational  ministers 
went  there,  at  the  request  of  a  number  of  the  inhabitants, 
but  they  were  forced  to  depart  the  colony,  after  preaching 
a  few  sermons.  And  direcdy  upon  it,  the  savages  were 
let  loose  upon  the  English,  and  destroyed  about  five  hun- 
dred of  them.  This  one  of  them  declared  in  England 
afterwards,  where  he  again  suffered  from  Episcopalians.* 
In  1644,  Daniel  Gookin  left  Virginia,  and  became  a  very 
useful  man  in  Massachusetts  for  many  years.t 

The  first  Baptist  church  in  Virginia  was  formed  in 
Prince  George  county,  in  1714,  by  Robert  Norden,  who 
then  came  from  England,  and  was  their  pastor  till  he 
died,  in  1725.  In  1727,  Mr.  Richard  Jones  was  or- 
dained their  pastor ;  and  in  1742  they  had  about  forty 
members,  as  one  of  them  then  wrote  to  Newport,  which 
letter  I  have.  About  the  same  time,  a  man  went  from 
thence  and  formed  a  church  on  the  sea-coasts  of  North 
Carolina.  But  these  all  held  to  general  redemption,  and 
their  churches  are  since  dissolved. 

In  the  mean  time,  religion  was  revived  in  Virginia  by 
other  means  ;  for  Samuel  Morris,  of  Hanover  county,  was 
converted  in  1740,  by  reading  some  old  books;  and  upon 
his  reading  them  to  his  neighbours,  they  set  up  a  meeting 
at  his  house,  instead  of  going  to  church.  And  in  1743, 
he  obtained  a  book  of  sermons,  taken  down  in  short 
hand,  as  Mr.  Whitefield  delivered  them  in  Glasgow,  and 
printed  there.  The  reading  of  these  had  such  an  eflect 
upon  the  people,  that  more  came  to  hear  them  than  his 
house  could  hold,  and  they  built  a  meeting-house  for  the 
purpose.  He  was  also  called  to  read  them  in  several 
other  places,  and  many  were  affected  thereby.  But  they 
were  called  to  account  for  not  going  to  church,  and  they 
pleaded  the  act  of  toleration  for  dissenters,  though  they 
knew  not  what  to  call  themselves.  At  length  they  called 
themselves  Lutherans,  because  they  had  received  much 
benefit  from  the  writings  of  that  reformer.     And  hearing 

•  Calamy*s  Account,  vol.  ii.  p.  607. 
•j-  Historical  Society,  vol  i.  p.  228. 
20 


230  CHURCH    HISTORY    OF    NEW   ENGLAND.   [CH.   MV. 

of  a  wonderful  preacher,  near  an  hundred  miles  off,  they 
sent  for  him,  in  July,  1743,  and  he  preached  to  them  four 
days,  with  exceeding  great  effect;  and  he  advised  them 
to  pray  and  sing  in  their  meetings,  which  they  had  not 
done  before ;  so  great  is  the  mfluence  of  tradition.  Mr. 
William  Robinson  was  the  man  whose  labours  had  then 
been  so  much  blessed  among  them  ;  and  when  he  was 
going  away,  they  asked  him  what  he  called  himself ;  he 
said,  **  A  Presbyterian."  "  Then  we  are  Presbyterians 
too,"  said  they,  for  your  religion  is  just  like  ours." 

They  then  sent  for  other  ministers  of  that  denomina- 
tion, from  Pennsylvania  and  New  Jersey,  and  obtained 
help  from  them,  from  time  to  time,  until  Mr.  Samuel 
Davies  settled  there  in  1748.  And  in  1751,  he  published 
an  account  of  this  work,  and  of  other  Presbyterians  in 
those  parts.  Mr.  Davies  became  the  president  of  New 
Jersey  college  afterwards,  and  died  there ;  and  his  ser- 
mons are  now  much  esteemed  in  Europe,  as  well  as 
America.  Those  ministers  met  at  Philadelphia  in  1789, 
and  formed  a  society  which  they  called  *'  The  General 
Assembly  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  in  the  United 
States  of  America."  In  1793,  it  was  said  that  they  had 
about  two  hundred  churches  in  all  the  states  south  of  New 
England.*  But  they  have  very  few  of  them  in  the  old 
part  of  Virginia,  where  the  Baptists  have  increased  greatly. 

Mr.  Samuel  Harris  was  born  in  Hanover  county,  Ja- 
nuary 12,  1724,  and  he  was  so  much  esteemed,  that  he 
became  a  colonel  of  their  militia,  a  member  of  their  le- 
gislature, and  a  judge  of  their  courts,  before  he  was  con- 
verted in  1758 ;  when  he  not  only  became  a  Baptist 
preacher,  but  also  much  of  a  father  among  their  churches 
for  above  thirty  years.  And  some  ministers  from  Penn- 
sylvania went  and  formed  some  Baptist  churches  in  the 
north  part  of  Virginia,  about  1760,  who  were  not  fully 
agreed  with  those  southern  Baptists,  for  the  following 
reasons  :  The  Philadelphia  association  had  adopted  the 
confession  of  faith  which  was  composed  by  the  Baptists 
in  London  in  1689,  with  the  addition  of  an  article  which 

♦  Rippon'g  Register,  vol.  li.  p.  131. 


180lj.]  OPINIONS    or    THE    BAPTISTS.  231 

required  the  laying  on  of  hands  upon  every  member  of 
the  church,  which  the  others  did  not  hold.  Some  emi- 
nent ministers  in  England  had  also  carried  the  doctrine 
of  particular  election  so  far,  as  to  deny  that  any  minister 
had  a  right  to  address  the  calls  of  the  gospel  to  all  sinners 
without  distinction,  and  the  Philadelphians  had  adopted 
this  opinion ;  and  they  called  themselves  Regular  Bap- 
tists, while  those  who  went  from  Connecticut  were  called 
Separates.  And  there  were  many  unhappy  contentions 
between  them  for  many  years  ;  for  the  New  England 
Baptists  in  general  do  not  hold  to  the  laying  on  of  hands 
upon  every  member,  nor  to  the  above  restriction  of  the 
calls  of  the  gospel. 

We  generally  believe  the  doctrine  of  particular  elec- 
tion, and  the  final  perseverance  of  every  true  believer, 
while  we  proclaim  a  free  salvation  to  all  the  children  of 
men,  and  even  to  the  chief  of  sinners  ;  and  we  hold 
that  God  has  appointed  the  means  as  well  as  the  end, 
and  the  means  in  order  to  the  end  of  every  event. 
When  the  Jews  were  obstinate  against  receiving  Jesus 
as  the  true  Messiah,  he  said,  **  I  thank  thee,  O  Father, 
Lord  of  heaven  and  earth,  because  thou  hast  hid  these 
things  from  the  wise  and  prudent,  and  hast  revealed  them 
unto  l:>hr'p.  Even  so.  Father,  for  so  it  seemed  good 
in  thy  sight.  All  things  are  delivered  unto  me  of  my 
Father ;  and  no  man  knoweth  the  Son,  but  the  Father ; 
neither  knoweth  any  man  the  Father,  save  the  Son,  and 
he  to  whomsoever  the  Son  will  reveal  him.  Come  unto 
me,  all  ye  that  labour,  and  are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will 
give  you  rest.  Take  my  yoke  upon  you,  and  learn  of 
me,  for  I  am  meek  and  lowly  in  heart,  and  ye  shall  find 
rest  unto  your  souls  ;  for  my  yoke  is  easy,  and  my  bur- 
den is  light."  Matt.  xi.  25 — 30.  The  only  reason  w^hy 
any  one  is  chosen,  called,  and  saved,  rather  than  another, 
is  because  so  it  seemed  good  in  the  sight  of  God.  But 
many  men  imagine  that  the  choice  and  doings  of  men  are 
the  cause  of  it,  and  so  would  take  the  glory  of  it  to  them- 
selves, instead  of  giving  it  to  God  alone.  God  never  fails 
of  doing  justice  to  all,  while  he  says,  *'  I  will  be  gracious 
to   whom  I  will  be  gracious,  and   will  show  mercy  on 


232  CHURCH    HISTORY   OF   NEW    ENGLAND.     [CH.  XIV. 

whom  I  will  show  mercy."  And  his  glory  essentially 
requires  this.  Ex.  xxxiii.  18,  19.  Therefore  he  says, 
"  Is  it  not  lawful  for  me  to  do  what  I  will  with  mine 
own  ?"  Matt.  xx.  15.  The  meanest  person  upon  earth 
has  a  right  to  give  his  own  property  to  whom  he  will ; 
and  how  mad  are  those  who  deny  this  right  to  the  eternal 
God  !  Many  ruin  their  souls  by  fighting  against  God, 
but  it  is  impossible  for  him  to  be  deceived  or  disappointed 
in  any  of  his  designs  of  mercy,  as  well  as  of  justice. 
And  free  salvation  by  the  Son  of  God  is  held  forth  to  all 
men  in  the  gospel,  as  openly  as  the  brazen  serpent  was 
to  the  camp  of  Israel ;  and  the  condemnation  of  all  who 
do  not  receive  him,  is  because  they  hate  the  light,  John 
iii.  14 — 20.  Therefore  the  most  moving  methods  ought 
to  be  taken  with  sinners  in  general,  to  enlighten  and  turn 
them  from  sin  to  God.  Light  concerning  these  things 
gained  gradually  among  the  Baptists  in  Virginia,  so  as  to 
unite  them  as  one  people  in  1787,  and  they  have  in- 
creased much  since. 

Mr.  John  Leland,  from  whom  I  had  many  of  these 
things,  was  born  at  Grafton  in  Massachusetts,  May  14, 
1754  ;  and  after  he  was  baptized  and  called  to  preach,  he 
set  off  with  his  young  wife,  in  the  fall  of  1776,  and  went 
into  Virginia,  and  settled  in  the  county  of  Orange.  He 
travelled  and  laboured  much  in  those  parts,  and  had  a 
considerable  hand  in  procuring  the  law  for  equal  liberty, 
before  inserted.  Though  the  behaviour  of  Episcopal  mi- 
nisters themselves  did  more  towards  it ;  for  many  of  them 
would  play  cards,  swear  profanely,  and  get  drunk,  while 
they  imprisoned  about  thirty  Baptist  ministers  for  preach- 
ing the  gospel  to  precious  souls,  without  license  from 
them.  This  moved  their  rulers  to  abolish  such  tyranny. 
Mr.  Leland  baptized  about  a  hundred  persons  in  and  near 
Yorktown,  the  year  before  the  British  army  was  capti- 
vated there  ;  and  in  the  whole  he  baptized  above  six  hun- 
dred in  those  parts.  He  published  a  Virginia  Chronicle, 
before  referred  to,  and  some  other  things  ;  and  in  if 91, 
he  returned  to  New  England,  and  settled  in  Cheshire  in 
Massachusetts. 

But  Mr.  Stearns  spent  his  life  in  those  parts,  and  died 


1804.]  BAPTISTS    IN    GEORGIA,    ETC.  233 

in  peace,  November  20,  1771.  And  the  Baptists  have 
been  increasing  in  North  Carolina  ever  since,  and  have 
been  so  highly  esteemed  by  their  fellow-citizens,  that 
many  members  of  their  churches  have  been  representa- 
tives and  senators  in  their  legislature,  judges  in  their 
courts,  and  in  other  offices  of  their  government. 

Mr.  Daniel  Marshall,  after  much  service  there,  went  on 
to  Georgia,  where  he  formed  a  church  in  1772,  and  was 
the  pastor  of  it  until  he  died,  it  being  the  first  Baptist 
church  in  that  state  ;  and  his  son  Abraham  Marshall  has 
been  pastor  of  it  ever  since.  The  Baptists  have  been  the 
most  numerous  of  any  religious  denomination  in  Georgia, 
for  many  years  past.  They  have  lately  increased  much 
in  Savannah,  their  capital.  The  late  Honourable  Joseph 
Clay,  who  had  been  one  of  the  federal  judges  of  the 
district  court,  was  ordained  a  Baptist  minister  there,  in 
January,  1804.  There  are  many  associations  in  those 
parts,  in  one  of  which  were  fifty-six  churches,  and  three 
thousand  seven  hundred  and  ninety-six  members,  in 
1792;  and  they  have  greatly  increased  since.  One  mi- 
nister baptized  about  an  hundred  persons  there,  in  the 
year  1803;  and  when  the  first  association  of  South  Caro- 
lina met  that  fall,  they  received  the  report  of  Mr.  John 
Rooker,  one  of  their  ministers,  who  had  been  sent  to 
preach  among  the  Catawba  Indians,  that  his  preaching 
among  them  was  received  with  much  attention,  and  they 
were  very  thankful  for  his  being  sent  among  them ;  and 
they  not  only  desired  him  to  come  again,  but  also  that  a 
schoolmaster  might  be  sent  to  teach  the  Indian  youth  in 
human  learning,  and  also  in  Christian  principles.  The 
association  agreed  to  send  him  among  them  again,  and 
also  a  schoolmaster,  according  to  their  request,  and  to 
bear  their  expenses.  Some  of  the  English  near  them  ap- 
peared to  have  a  gracious  work  begun  among  them,  and 
it  was  hoped  that  the  Indians  would  share  in  the  same 
blessing. 

A  great  many  negroes  in  those  parts  have  been  con- 
verted and  baptized,  and  some  of  them  have  been  called 
to  preach  the  gospel.  George  Liele  was  so  a  little  before 
our  American  war ;  and  in  the  time  of  it  he  fell  into  British 
20* 


234  CHURCH   HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.     [cH.  XIV. 

hands,  and  went  down  and  baptized  a  number  in  Savan- 
nah, and  then  was  carried  to  Jamaica,  where  he  began  to 
preach  to  the  blacks  in  1784  ;  and  he  behaved  so  well  as 
to  be  favoured  by  the  government  there,  and  his  success 
was  so  great  that  he  had  three  hundred  and  fifty  members 
in  his  church  in  1791.*  And  we  have  heard  of  much  in- 
crease among  them  since.  There  is  one  such  minister 
and  church  in  Virginia,  besides  a  great  number  of  blacks 
who  have  joined  to  the  English  churches  there.  And 
Andrew  Bryan  has  a  large  negro  church  in  Savannah  in 
Georgia ;  and  Mr.  Abraham  Marshall  assisted  in  his  ordi- 
nation. The  Charleston  Association,  in  1803,  received 
an  account  from  the  Bethel  Association,  that  more  than 
fourteen  hundred  persons  had  joined  to  all  their  churches 
in  a  year.     Such  has  been  the  work  in  those  parts. 

The  first  Baptist  church  in  the  State  of  New  York  was 
formed  at  Oyster  Bay  on  Long  Island.  Elder  Robert 
(ufeuA^^Keke  wrote  from  thence  to  Newport,  November  29, 
'  1741,  and  said,  "  God  has  begun  a  glorious  work  among 
us,  and  I  hope  he  will  carry  it  on  to  his  own  glory,  and 
the  salvation  of  many  souls.  There  have  been  seventeen 
added  to  our  little  band  in  about  three  months.''  I  sup- 
pose their  church  had  not  been  formed  long. 

The  fijjg^t  Baptist  church  in  the  city  of  New  York  was 
formed  in  1762,  under  the  ministry  of  Mr.  John  Gano, 
who  is  since  in  Kentucky.  There  were  a  few  Baptist 
churches  before,  northward  of  the  city,  near  Connecticut 
line.  And  soon  after  the  British  army  was  captivated  at 
Saratoga,  in  1777,  many  such  churches  were  formed  in 
those  parts,  and  they  have  been  increasing  ever  since. 
And  a  large  number  of  people  have  removed  from  New 
England,  and  planted  the  lands  near  the  heads  of  the  Mo- 
hawk, Susquehanna,  and  Genesee  rivers ;  and  a  Baptist 
church  was  formed  in  1789  near  the  Otsego  lake,  which 
is  the  first  church  in  the  Otsego  Association,  which  was 
formed  in  1795,  and  it  increased  in  three  years  to  twenty* 
eight  churches,  and  one  thousand  two  hundred  and 
ninety-two  members.     They  have  been  increasing  to  this 

•  Rippon's  Register,  vol.  i.  p.  334. 


1804.]  BAPTIST    ASSOCIATIONS    FORMED.  235 

day,  and  have  formed  another  association  further  west- 
ward. These  associations  have  sent  ministers  to  preach 
to  the  Six  Nations  of  Indians,  and  also  among  the  English 
in  Upper  Canada,  where  they  have  been  well  received, 
and  an  association  is  formed  there.  Several  Baptists  mi- 
nisters in  those  parts  were  preachers  before  in  Congrega- 
tional churches.  If  we  look  again  to  the  southward,  we 
may  still  see  greater  wonders  of  grace,  as  well  as  of  Divine 
Providence. 

The  lands  upon  the  river  Ohio  were  so  much  esteemed, 
both  by  the  French  and  English  nations,  that  they  com- 
menced a  war  about  them  in  1755,  which  ended  in  yield- 
ing those  lands,  as  well  as  all  Canada,  to  Great  Britain. 
Our  people  began  to  plant  Kentucky  about  1777,  and  in- 
habitants have  increased  so  much  in  that  State,  as  now  to 
have  six  representatives  in  Congress,  which  is  one  more 
than  New  Hampshire  has.  Many  of  the  inhabitants  went 
from  Virginia,  and  the  Baptists  have  increased  to  six  as- 
sociations, and  to  fourteen  thousand  and  seventy-six  com- 
municants in  their  churches,  as  we  had  a  printed  account 
in  1802.  And  there  are  a  large  number  of  such  churches 
on  both  sides-  of  the  Ohio,  besides  those  in  Kentucky ; 
and  they  are  scattered  into  each  of  these  United  States. 

.4s  associations  have  been  often  mentioned,  I  will  now 
describe  the  nature  of  them.  Associations  had  been  very 
cruel  and  oppressive  in  Connecticut,  as  they  were  there 
established  by  law ;  and  many  Baptists  could  not  believe, 
for  a  long  time,  that  they  could  be  so  conducted  as  to  be 
serviceable  any  way  ;  and  it  has  ever  been  difficult  to 
keep  a  clear  distinction  in  our  minds,  between  the  real 
nature  of  things,  and  the  abuse  of  them  which  is  very 
common.  When  difficulties  arise  in  churches,  few  have 
the  patience  and  wisdom  which  is  necessary  for  the  car- 
rying the  laws  of  Christ  into  effect  against  offenders, 
without  looking  to  any  earthly  power  for  help  in  such 
cases. 

The  Warren  Association  was  formed,  September  8, 
1767,  upon  the  following  principles.  They  refuse  to 
hear  and  judge  of  any  personal  controversy  in  any  of 
their  churches,  or  to  intermeddle  with  the  affairs  of  any 


23d  CHURCH    HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.    [CH.  XIV. 

church  wliich  hath  not  freely  joined  with  them.  When 
any  church  desires  to  join  with  them,  they  send  messen- 
gers and  a  letter  to  the  association,  showing  when  their 
church  was  formed,  the  faith  and  order  of  it,  and  their 
number  of  members.  If  satisfaction  is  gained,  they  are 
received  by  a  vote  of  the  association,  and  the  moderator 
gives  the  messengers  the  right  hand  of  fellowship.  Each 
church  is  to  send  messengers  and  a  letter,  or  a  letter  at 
least  to  the  annual  meeting  of  the  association,  to  give  an 
account  of  the  state  of  their  church,  and  how  many  have 
been  added,  dismissed,  excluded,  or  that  have  died  in  the 
year.  If  this  is  neglected  for  a  number  of  years,  or  if 
the  church  departs  from  her  former  faith  and  order,  she  is 
left  out  of  the  association.  In  1771,  they  began  to  print 
the  minutes  of  their  annual  proceedings,  which  any  may 
have  if  they  will.  By  these  means,  mutual  acquaintance 
and  communion  hath  been  begotten  and  promoted ;  errors 
in  doctrine  or  conduct  have  been  exposed  and  guarded 
against;  false  teachers  have  been  detected,  and  warnings 
published  against  them  ;  destitute  flocks  have  been  occa- 
sionally supplied  ;  the  weak  and  oppressed  have  been 
relieved,  and  many  have  been  animated  and  encouraged 
in  preaching  the  gospel  through  the  land,  and  in  new 
plantations  in  the  wilderness. 

A  collection  is  made  at  our  annual  meetings  for  the 
widows  and  children  of  poor  ministers.  A  society  has 
also  been  incorporated,  to  collect  money  to  assist  pious 
youths  in  obtaining  learning,  with  a  view  to  the  ministry. 
And  a  Missionary  Society  is  formed  to  collect  money  for 
the  support  of  travelling  ministers,  and  to  instruct  and 
direct  them  therein,  according  to  their  best  discretion. 
And  several  of  them  have  visited  many  destitute  flocks, 
and  some  have  gone  into  Upper  Canada,  with  great  ac- 
ceptance. 

The  Warren  Association  has  extended  over  all  the  old 
colony  of  Plymouth,  and  over  Massachusetts  as  high  as 
Connecticut  river,  and  into  the  borders  of  three  other 
States ;  and  its  benefits  soon  became  visible  to  others. 
The  Stonington  Association  began  in  1772,  and  it  extends 
over  the  east  part  of  Connecticut,  and  the  west  of  Rhode 


1804.]  HISTORY    OF    ASSOCIATIONS.  237 

Island  state.  The  New  Hampshire  Association  began  in 
1776,  and  it  extends  over  the  east  part  of  that  state,  and  over 
the  county  of  York  in  the  District  of  Maine.  The  Shafts- 
bury  Association  began  in  1781,  and  it  is  in  the  south-west 
part  of  Vermont,  the  west  of  Massachusetts,  and  east  of 
New  York  state.  The  Woodstock  Association  began  in 
1783,  and  is  in  the  easterly  part  of  Vermont,  and  westerly 
of  New  Hampshire.  The  Groton  Conference  began  in 
1785,  and  it  extends  from  Connecticut  river  near  the  sea, 
across  the  state  of  Rhode  Island,  into  the  county  of  Bris- 
tol in  Massachusetts.  The  Bowdoinham  Association  be- 
gan in  1787,  and  it  extends  over  three  counties  in  the 
District  of  Maine.  The  Vermont  Association  began  the 
same  year,  and  it  is  in  the  north-west  part  of  that  state. 
The  Meredith  Association  began  in  1789,  and  is  in  the 
northerly  part  of  New  Hampshire,  and  the  adjoining  part 
of  Vermont.  The  Danbury  Association  began  in  1790, 
and  it  extends  from  the  south  borders  of  Massachusetts, 
across  Connecticut  to  the  sea,  west  of  their  great  river. 
The  Ley  den  Association  began  in  1793,  on  the  north 
borders  of  Massachusetts,  and  it  extends  into  the  corners 
of  New  Hampshire  and  Vermont,  on  both  sides  of  Con- 
necticut river.  The  Richmond  Conference  began  in 
1795,  and  is  in  the  north-east  part  of  Vermont.  The 
Sturbridge  Association  began  in  1801,  and  it  is  in  the 
southerly  part  of  the  middle  of  Massachusetts,  and  north- 
erly of  Connecticut. 

Thus  we  have  thirteen  associations  in  New  England, 
in  which  are  three  hundred  and  twelve  churches,  and 
twenty-three  thousand  six  hundred  and  thirty-eight  mem- 
bers, where  there  were  but  nine  Baptist  churches  in  1700, 
and  but  five  more  in  all  America.  We  have  also  many 
other  churches  in  New  England  besides  what  are  in  these 
associations  ;  and  I  conclude  that  in  the  whole  of  these 
United  States,  there  are  now  about  twelve  hundred  Bap- 
tist churches,  and  an  hundred  thousand  members.  And 
the  main  of  them  have  been  formed  within  forty  years 
past.  The  work  of  God  in  late  years  has  given  much 
liffht  to  our  old  Baptist  churches.  The  darkness  that  was 
in  the  first  Baptist  church  in  Boston,  caused  the  forming 


CHURCH    HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.  [CH.  XIV. 

of  the  second  in  1742  ;  but  light  gradually  gained  among 
them,  until  they  settled  a  pastor  there  in  1765,  who  was 
clear  in  gospel  doctrines  ;  and  religion  was  soon  after  re- 
vived there,  and  the  two  churches  were  united,  and  they 
have  been  increasing  to  this  day.  They  have  gained 
such  credit  in  our  government,  that  Dr.  Stillman,  pastor 
of  their  first  church,  was  called  to  preach  the  election 
sermon  at  Boston  in  1779,  and  Dr.  Baldwin,  pastor  of  the 
second,  in  1802.  In  the  spring  of  1803,  religion  was 
again  revived  in  Boston,  which  still  continues,  and  their 
two  churches  have  increased  to  six  hundred  and  forty 
members.  This  work  is  now  powerful  in  Charlestown, 
Maiden,  Woburn,  Reading,  Danvers,  Salem,  and  Bever- 
ly ;  the  first  of  which  churches  was  formed  in  1793,  and 
the  rest  since,  all  within  about  twenty  miles  of  Boston. 
Our  churches  in  general  hold  to  the  doctrines  of  grace. 
Christian  experience,  and  the  importance  of  a  holy  life, 
much  as  the  chief  fathers  of  New  England  did.  They 
differ  very  little  from  the  fathers  of  Plymouth  colony, 
only  about  infant  baptism.  And  though  the  fathers  of 
Massachusetts  made  laws  to  establish  the  government  of 
the  church  over  the  world,  yet  when  that  power  was  lost, 
Boston  renounced  the  government  of  the  world  over  the 
church,  as  we  have  proved.  And  this  practice  cannot  now 
be  vindicated  by  Scripture^  reason,  nor  by  the  example 
of  any  of  the  fathers  of  New  England,  for  seventy  years 
after  it  was  planted.  And  it  is  also  contrary  to  the  gene- 
ral government  of  these  United  States. 

Infant  baptism  was  not  named  in  the  Holy  Scriptures, 
nor  in  any  history,  for  two  hundred  years  after  the  birth 
of  Christ.  And  when  it  was  first  named,  ministers  called 
it  regeneration.  Because  Christ  says,  "  Except  a  man 
be  born  of  water,  and  of  the  Spirit,  he  cannot  enter  into 
the  kingdom  of  God,"  they  held  that  baptism  washed 
away  original  sin,  and  that  infants  could  not  be  saved  if 
they  were  not  baptized.  And  because  Christ  says, 
*'  Except  ye  eat  the  flesh  of  the  Son  of  man,  and  drink 
his  blood,  ye  have  no  life  in  you,"  they  held  that  no 
person  could  be  saved  without  eating  the  Lord's  supper ; 
and  they  brought  infants  to  it,  as  well  as  to  baptism.  For 


1804.1  CHANGE    OF    GOVERNMENT.  23^ 

the  truth  of  these  facts,  we  appeal  to  the  most  noted 
writings  of  the  third  and  fourth  centuries.  A  noted  mi- 
nister of  the  third  century  said,  **  It  is  for  that  reason, 
because  by  the  sacrament  of  baptism  the  pollutions  of  our 
birth  is  taken  away,  that  infants  are  baptized."* 

This,  and  more  of  like  nature,  was  quoted  by  an  emi- 
nent advocate  for  infant  baptism  in  our  day,  to  defend  the 
practice,  though  not  the  opinion  of  its  being  regeneration. 
But  the  church  of  Rome,  and  the  church  df  England,  have 
long  held  that  ministers  could  regenerate  persons  by  bap- 
tizing them.  And  they  who  renounced  that  practice  have 
been  called  Anabaptists  to  this  day.  Natural  affection  for 
children,  and  for  the  sick  and  dying,  has  caused  an 
amazing  attachment  to  ministers  who  they  thought  could 
save  persons  from  hell  by  baptizing  them ;  and  from 
thence  came  the  notion  of  the  necessity  of  an  external 
succession  of  ministerial  ordinations,  even  through  the 
corruptions  of  antichrist. 

But  as  fire  and  wind,  as  well  as  water,  are  of  a  cleans- 
ing influence,  they  are  all  made  use  of  to  explain  the  na- 
ture of  regeneration,  which  is  effected  only  by  the  power 
of  the  Holy  Ghost.  Matt.  iii.  11.    John  iii.  5.  8.     The 
work  of  sanctification  in  believers  is  carried  on  by  the  or- 
dinances of  baptism  and  the  holy  supper,  but  they  are  not 
spoken  of  in  Scripture  as  the  means  of  begetting  faith  in 
any  person ;  for  faith  cometh  by  hearing  the  word  of  God.    - — f 
Rom.  X.  17.    But  in  all  nations  where  ministers  have  been        / 
supported  by  force,  only  one  party  of  teachers  and  rulers 
have  shared  in  the  gains  of  it,  to  the  constant  injury  of 
all  the  rest  of  the  community.      And  this  way  has  been-^ 
upheld  by  perverse  disputers,  who  have  supposed  that       I 
gain  was  godliness.   1  Tim.  vi.  5.     But  if  the  vengeance 
of  God  came  upon  men  who  were  partial  in  his  law, 
what  will  he  do  to  those  who  make  partial  laws  of  their 
own  ?  Mai.  ii.  9. 

And  since  a  door  is  now  opened  in  our  land  for  a  clear 
deliverance  from  these  evils,  can  any  man  be  free  of  guilt 
if  he  tries  to  shut  it  ?     This  consideration  is  enforced  by 

•  Clark's  Defence  of  Infant  Baptism,  1752,  p.  111. 


/ 


240  CHURCH    HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.    fcH.  XIV. 

late  experience ;  for  the  man,  who  was  the  chief  magis- 
trate of  these  United  States  for  four  years,  was  very  fond 
of  such  partiality.  But  a  man  was  elected  into  that  of- 
fice in  1801,  who  is  for  equal  liberty  to  all  the  nation. 
And  if  the  Holy  Scriptures  are  well  regarded,  we  shall  be 
the  happiest  people  upon  earth  ;  for  they  show  that  every 
man,  who  is  fit  for  a  ruler,  is  like  good  trees  and  vines, 
which  yield  sweet  fruits  to  all  around  them,  without  in- 
juring any  one  ;# and  that  tyrants  are  like  the  bramble, 
which  would  set  the  whole  community  on  fire,  and  burn 
up  the  best  characters  in  it,  if  they  stood  in  the  way  of 
their  gratifying  their  own  lusts  of  pride  and  covetousness. 
Judg.  ix.  7 — 15.  Therefore  our  Lord  says,  '*  By  their 
fruits  ye  shall  know  them."  Matt.  vii.  20.  And  this 
should  ever  guide  all  electors  of  officers,  as  well  as  all 
men  in  office. 

A  review  of  the  dealings  of  God  with  his  ancient 
people  may  afford  much  help  to  us  all.  For  the  highest 
rulers  in  Israel  had  no  right  to  make  any  laws  at  all,  but 
were  to  govern  the  people  by  the  laws  of  God,  which  he 
had  given  them  by  Moses  and  the  prophets.  The  tribe 
of  Levi,  in  which  was  the  family  of  Aaron,  were  to  have 
the  whole  government  ol  their  worship,  and  to  offer  sacri- 
fices upon  the  altar  of  God.  Those  offerings,  with  the 
tenth  part  of  the  produce  of  the  good  land  which  he  had 
given  them,  were  freely  to  be  brought  in  annually  to  the 
place  which  God  chose,  and  the  Priests  and  Levites  were 
to  have  their  living  in  that  way,  and  they  were  to  have 
the  care  of  the  poor.  Each  man  in  Israel  was  to  bring  in 
those  tithes  and  offerings  to  the  place  which  God  chose, 
in  such  a  manner  as  to  be  able  to  say  before  him,  "  I  have 
brought  away  the  hallowed  things  out  of  mine  house,  and 
also  have  given  them  unto  the  Levite,  and  unto  the 
stranger,  to  the  fatherless  and  the  widow  according  to  all 
thy  commandments  which  thou  hast  commanded  me ;  1 
have  not  transgressed  thy  commandments,  neither  have  I 
forgotten  them.  I  have  not  eaten  thereof  in  my  mourn- 
ing, neither  have  1  taken  aught  thereof,  for  any  unclean 
use,  nor  given  aught  thereof  for  the  dead  ;  but  I  have 
hearkened  to  the  voice  of  the  Lord  my  God,  and  nave 


1804.]  GOVERNMENT    OF    ISRAEL.  241 

done  all  that  thou  hast  commanded  me.  Look  down 
from  thy  holy  habitation,  from  heaven,  and  bless  thy 
people  Israel,  and  the  land  which  thou  hast  given  us,  as 
thou  swarest  unto  our  fathers,  a  land  that  floweth  with 
milk  and  honey.  This  day  the  Lord  thy  God  hath  com- 
manded thee  to  do  these  statutes  and  judgments ;  thou 
shalt  therefore  keep  and  do  them  with  all  thine  heart,  and 
with  all  thy  soul.  Thou  hast  avouched  the  Lord  this  day 
to  be  thy  God,  and  to  walk  in  his  ways,  and  to  keep  his 
statutes,  and  his  commandments,  and  his  judgments,  and 
to  hearken  to  his  voice.  And  the  Lord  hath  avouched 
thee  this  day  to  be  his  peculiar  people,  as  he  hath  pro- 
mised thee,  and  that  thou  shouldst  keep  all  his  command- 
ments ;  and  to  make  thee  high  above  all  nations  which  he 
hath  made,  in  praise,  and  in  name,  and  in  honour,  and 
that  thou  mayest  be  an  holy  people  unto  the  Lord  thy 
God,  as  he  hath  spoken."  Deut.  xxvi.  13 — 19. 

Thus  we  may  see  that  the  support  of  religious  minis- 
ters in  Israel,  as  well  as  the  poor,  was  to  be  done  volun- 
tarily, as  each  man  would  desire  the  blessing  of  God  upon 
his  labours,  as  well  as  the  salvation  of  his  soul ;  and  also 
that  they  could  not  be  a  holy  people  in  any  other  way, 
but  by  obeying  the  voice  of  God  with  all  their  hearts,  and 
with  all  their  souls.  And  for  any  community  to  call 
themselves  a  holy  people,  only  because  they  have  an  es- 
tablished worship  by  the  laws  of  men,  enforced  by  the 
sword,  is  directly  contrary  to  the  national  worship  of 
Israel  which  was  owned  of  God.  Christ  was  tempted  in 
all  points  like  as  we  are,  and  the  devil  tempted  him  to 
presume  upon  being  supported  by  the  promise  of  God, 
without  going  in  the  ways  of  his  precepts.  Matt.  iv.  6,  7. 
Psalm  xci.  11,  12.  And  how  full  is  the  world  of  this 
iniquity! 

The  nation  of  Israel  was  advanced  above  all  other  na- 
tions, when  they  obeyed  the  revealed  will  of  God,  in  the 
days  of  David  and  Solomon,  accordinjg  to  this  promise. 
But  in  after  generations  they  declined  from  that  way, 
until  God  said,  *'  As  troops  of  robbers  wait  for  a  man,  so 
the  company  of  priests  murder  in  the  way  by  eonsent." 
Hosea  vi.  9.  '*  The  heads  thereof  judge  for  reward,  the 
21 


242  CHURCH    HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.    [CH.  XIV 

priests  thereof  teach  for  hire,  and  the  propkets  thereof 
divine  for  money  ;  yet  will  they  lean  upon  the  Lord,  and 
say,  Is  not  the  Lord  among  us  ?  None  evil  can  come  upon 
us.  Therefore  shall  Zion  for  your  sake  be  ploughed  as  a 
field,  and  Jerusalem  shall  become  heaps,  and  the  mountain 
of  the  house  as  the  high  places  of  the  forest."  Micah 
iii.  11,  12.  This  prophecy  was  partly  accomplished  by 
the  Babylonians,  and  fully  by  the  Romans.  And  the 
Jews  are  now  monuments  of  warning  to  all  nations. 
Isa.  XXX.  17.  Thus  present  events  prove  the  truth  of 
revelation. 

Before  the  destruction  of  the  second  temple,  God  gave 
the  Jews  a  new  warning,  and  said,  **  Will  a  man  rob 
God  ?  Yet  ye  have  robbed  me ;  but  ye  say.  Wherein  have 
we  robbed  thee  ?  In  tithes  and  offerings.  Ye  are  cursed 
with  a  curse  ;  for  ye  have  robbed  me,  even  this  whole  na- 
tion. Bring  ye  all  the  tithes  into  the  store-house,  that 
there  may  be  meat  in  mine  house,  and  prove  me  now 
herewith,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts,  if  I  will  not  open  you 
the  windows  of  heaven,  and  pour  you  out  a  blessing,  that 
there  shall  not  be  room  enough  to  receive  it."  Mai.  iii. 
8—10. 

Here  we  may  see  that  a  voluntary  obedience  to  God 
about  his  worship  and  ministers,  or  the  Contrary,  brought 
his  blessings  or  curses  upon  his  people  ;  and  he  now  says 
to  people  under  the  gospel,  *'  Do  ye  not  know  that  they 
which  minister  about  holy  things,  live  of  the  things  of 
the  temple,  and  they  which  wait  at  the  altar  are  partakers 
with  the  altar  ?  Even  so  hath  the  liord  ordained,  that 
they  which  preach  the  gospel  should  live  of  the  gospel." 
1  Cor.  ix.  13,  14.  But  as  some  ministers  of  the  devil 
had  prejudiced  many  in  the  church  of  Corinth  against  this 
apostle,  he  refused  to  take  any  support  of  them,  though 
he  said  "Forgive  me  this  wrong."  2  Cor.  xi.  13 — 15. 
xii.  13.  Thus  it  appears,  that  there  is  a  stronger  guard 
set  against  deceitful  teachers,  by  the  laws  of  Christ,  than 
there  was  by  the  law  of  Moses.  Yet  such  is  the  depra- 
vity of  human  nature,  that  the  supporting  of  ministers  of 
the  devil  by  force  hath  filled  the  world  with  war  and  blood, 
under  the  name  of  Christianity,  much  more  than  the  na 


i804.]  THE    LATTER-DAY    GLORY.  24*5 

lion  of  Isiael  ever  did.  And  this  is  now  the  greatest 
handle  that  infidels  have  to  use  against  revealed  religion 
The  command  is,  '*  Let  God  be  true  and  every  man  a 
liar ;"  w^hile  many  bring  the  lies  of  men  against  the  truth 
of  God,  and  so  discover  that  he  hath  said  the  truth  con- 
cerning them. 

Upon  the  case  before  us,  he  says,  **  Let  him  that  is 
taught  in  the  word,  communicate  unto  him  that  teacheth 
in  all  good  things.  Be  not  deceived,  God  is  not  mocked; 
for  whatsoever  a  man  soweth,  that  shall  he  also  reap. 
For  he  that  soweth  to  the  flesh,  shall  of  the  flesh  reap 
corruption ;  but  he  that  soweth  to  the  spirit,  shall  of  the 
spirit  reap  life  everlasting."  Gal.  vi.  6 — 8.  So  that  ever- 
lasting life,  or  endless  misery,  are  connected  with  faith- 
fulness or  unfaithfulness  in  this  afl^air.  Yea,  and  these 
things  are  personal  between  God  and  individuals,  as  much 
as  faith  and  unbelief  are ;  and  therefore  they  are  entirely 
out  of  the  jurisdiction  of  the  magistrate.  And  we  have  a 
glorious  promise  of  God,  which  says,  "  In  the  last  days 
it  shall  come  to  pass,  that  the  mountain  of  the  house  of 
the  Lord  shall  be  established  in  the  top  of  the  mountains, 
and  it  si  .all  be  exalted  above  the  hills,  and  people  shall 
flow  U!ito  it.  And  many  nations  shall  come  and  say, 
Come  and  let  us  go  up  to  the  mountain  of  the  Lord, 
and  to  the  habitation  of  the  God  of  Jacob,  and  he  will 
teach  us  of  his  ways,  and  we  will  walk  in  his  paths ;  foi 
the  law  shall  go  forth  of  Zion,  and  the  word  of  the  Lord 
from  Jerusalem.  And  he  shall  judge  among  the  people, 
and  rebuke  strong  nations  afar  off",  and  they  shall  bea< 
their  swords  into  ploughshares,  and  their  spears  into 
pruning-hooks  ;  nation  shall  not  lift  up  sword  against  na- 
tion, neither  shall  they  learn  war  any  more.  But  they 
shall  sit  every  man  under  his  vine,  and  under  his  fig-tree, 
and  none  shall  make  them  afraid  ;  for  the  mouth  of  the 
Lord  of  hosts  hath  spoken  it.  For  all  people  will  walk 
every  one  in  the  name  of  his  god,  and  we  will  walk  in 
the  name  of  the  Lord  our  God,  forever  and  ever."  Micah 
iv.  1—5. 

Now  it  is  most  certain  that  this  prophecy  hath  never 
yet  been  fulfilled  ;  but  i^  ^ill  ^s  surely  come  to  pass  here- 


844  CHURCH    HISTORY    OF    NEW    ENGLAND.    [cH.  XIV. 

after,  as  ever  the  promise  did  of  Christ's  being  born  of  a 
virgin.  The  mountains  and  hills  here  mean  the  king- 
doms and  states  of  this  world,  and  the  mountain  of  the 
house  of  the  Lord,  is  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  who  will 
subdue  all  other  kingdoms,  and  reign  forever.  And  he 
says,  "The  kingdom,  and  dominion,  and  the  greatness 
of  the  kingdom  under  the  whole  heaven  shall  be  given  to 
the  people  of  the  saints  of  the  Most  High ;  whose  king- 
dom is  an  everlasting  kingdom,  and  all  dominions  shall 
serve  and  obey  him."  Daniel  ii.  35.  44 ;  vii.  27.  People 
shall  go  up  to  the  house  of  God,  and  personally  obey  his 
revealed  will,  as  freely  as  the  vfdXer flows  in  its  channels. 
And  what  can  be  freer  ihan  water  ?  Every  idea  of  force 
is  excluded  from  the  support  of  his  worship ;  and  all  the 
force  for  the  support  of  religious  teachers,  that  ever  was 
used  under  the  name  of  Christianity,  was  done  by  adding 
to  his  word.  And  Christ  says,  '*  I  testify  unto  every  man 
that  heareth  the  words  of  the  prophecy  of  this  book,  If 
any  man  shall  add  unto  these  things,  God  shall  add  unto 
him  the  plagues  that  are  written  in  this  book ;  and  if  any 
man  shall  take  away  from  the  words  of  the  book  of  this 
prophecy,  God  shall  take  away  his  part  out  of  the  book 
of  life,  and  out  of  the  holy  city,  and  from  the  things 
which  are  written  in  this  book."   Rev.  xxii.  18,  19. 

O  how  solemn  are  these  things !  Mystery  Babylon 
was  built  by  adding  to  the  word  of  God,  and  by  taking 
away  what  is  plainly  written  in  it ;  and  all  religious  esta- 
blishments by  the  laws  of  men,  that  ever  were  made  in 
our  world,  were  made  in  that  way,  and  so  are  parts  of 
that  great  city.  She  is  the  mother  of  harlots,  and  she 
hath  many  daughters.  And  as  Christ  is  the  only  head 
of  his  church,  every  community  that  supports  her  minis- 
ters in  the  name  of  any  earthly  head,  is  a  harlot.  And  in 
Babylon  was  found  the  blood  of  prophets,  and  of  saints, 
and  of  all  that  were  slain  upon  the  earth.  Rev.  xviii.  24. 
The  blood  of  Abel  was  shed  by  Cain,  because  his  own 
works  were  evil,  and  his  brother's  righteous.  1  John  iii. 
12.  And  the  guilt  of  blood  will  come  upon  all  men  who 
imitate  old  persecutors.  Matt,  xxiii.  35,  36.  And  God 
says,  **  In  the  last  days  perilous  times  shall  come ;  for 


1804.]  THE    LATTER-DAY    GLORY.  245 

men  shall  be  lovers  of  their  ownselves,  covetous,  boasters, 
proud,  blasphemers,  disobedient  to  parents,  unthankful, 
unholy,  without  natural  affection,  truce  breakers,  false  ac- 
cusers, incontinent,  fierce,  despisers  of  those  that  are 
good,  traitors,  heady,  high-minded,  lovers  of  pleasures 
more  than  lovers  of  God ;  having  a  form  of  godliness,  but 
denying  the  power  thereof:  from  such  turn  away." 
2  Tim.  iii.  1—5. 

Language  cannot  describe  our  times  more  exactly,  than 
it  was  thus  done  by  God,  near  eighteen  hundred  years 
ago.  And  how  blind  must  men  be,  if  they  imagine  that 
godliness  can  be  supported  by  such  characters !  and  yet 
such  have  equal  votes  in  government  with  the  best  men 
in  it.  The  best  churches  that  ever  supported  their  minis- 
ters by  force,  had  no  more  than  a  form  of  godliness ;  and 
all  men  have  denied  the  power  of  it,  who  have  denied 
that  the  laws  and  Spirit  of  Christ  were  entirely  sufficient 
to  support  his  ministers,  without  any  arm  of  flesh  in  the 
case.  And  God  says,  '*  Hold  fast  the  form  of  sound 
words,  which  thou  hast  heard  of  me,  in  faith  and  love 
which  is  in  Christ  Jesus."  And  the  form  says,  "  All 
scripture  is  given  by  inspiration  of  God,  and  is  profitable 
for  doctrine,  for  reproof,  for  correction,  for  instruction  in 
righteousness;  that  the  man  of  God  may  be  perfect, 
thoroughly  furnished  unto  all  good  works."  2  Tim.  i.  13  ; 
iii.  16,  17.  -^ 

The  men  of  the  world  are  allowed  to  make  laws,  and  1 
to  enforce  them  with  the  sword,  to  punish  immoralities, 
and  to  keep  the  civil  peace ;  and  real  Christians  are  the  best 
subjects  of  civil  government  in  the  world,  while  they 
obey  God  rather  than  man  in  the  form  of  godliness. 
And  though  the  worst  of  wars  have  lately  been  carried  on 
by  sea,  yet  it  will  hereafter  be  said,  '*  Look  upon  Zion, 
the  city  of  our  solemnities ;  thine  eyes  shall  see  Jerusa- 
lem a  quiet  habitation,  a  tabernacle  that  shall  not  be  taken 
down ;  not  one  of  the  stakes  thereof  shall  ever  be  removed, 
neither  shall  any  of  the  cords  thereof  be  broken.  But 
there  the  glorious  Lord  will  be  unto  us  a  place  of  broad 
rivers  and  streams  ;  wherein  shall  go  no  galley  with  oars, 
neither  shall  gallant  ships  pass  thereby.  For  the  Lord  is 
21* 


246  CHURCH    HISTORY   OF    NEW    ENGLAND.    [c|I.  XIV. 

our  judge,  the  Lord  is  our  lawgiver,  the  Lord  is  our 
king,  he  will  save  us.  Thy  tacklings  are  loosed ;  they 
could  not  well  strengthen  their  mast;  they  could  not 
spread  the  sail :  then  is  the  prey  of  a  great  spoil  divided ; 
the  lame  take  the  prey."  Isaiah  xxxiii.  2(> — 23.  And 
though  the  merchants  of  Babylon,  and  her  mariners,  will 
make  great  lamentations  for  the  loss  of  their  bloody  gains, 
yet  the  Holy  Spirit  says,  '*  Rejoice  over  her,  thou  heaven, 
and  ye  holy  apostles  and  prophets,  for  God  hath  avenged 
you  on  her."  Rev.  xviii.  20.  The  apostles  explained 
the  prophets,  and  finished  writing  the  book  of  God ;  and 
heaven  and  earth  will  rejoice  to  see  his  truth  and  justice 
glorified. 


THS  END 


A 

CHRONOLOGICAL  TABLE  OF  CONTENTS, 

WITH  SOME  TIII963  TSfOT  BEFORE  ]^£1?TIQ^£^. 

1602  Their  first  church  formed ••••••• i? 

1606  They  become  two , .     ip, 

1Q08  Both  go  to  Amsterdam ib. 

1 609  One  goes  to  Leyden 2Q 

IQIO  Robinson  defends  them 20.31.66,67 

1613  Disputes  against  Arminians 2^,22 

1617  They  consult  about  removing 22 

1620  Excellent  advice  given 23,  24 

They  come  to  Cape  Cod — P|ant  Plymouth  ...........     ?§ 

J 62 1  Many  die  there,  28. — But  Indians  are  friendly ?^ 

1623  Relief  in  distress — New  Hampshire  |)egun. ...........     ib. 

1625  Robinson  dies lb. 

1628  Their  debts  paid— Salem  begun 3(| 

1629  More  come  ovf  r,  30. — Massachusetts  charter 32 

1 630  Plymouth  Charter— Their  church  order 30,  3 1 

Boston  planted 3.^ 

1631  Church  governs  the  world,  33. — Williams  comes  over. .     35 

1633  Also,  Cotton  and  Hooker,  33. — Williams  goes  to  Salem     35 

1634  New  oath  imposed 36,  37 

1635  All  to  take  it— Williams  against  it 37 

Lands  taken  from  Salem,  37,  38. — Windsor  plaated. . .     34 

1636  Lands  restored 38 

Williams  banished — Plants  Providence 39 

Does  great  service  to  many 40,  41 

Church  order  at  Boston 34.  45.  6^^  ^9 

Reasons  of  it,  39,  40.  45.— Hartford  planted. 34 

16.^7     Pequot  war — But  soon  over 42,  43 

Confusion  at  Boston — A  synod  called » 46 

Some  banished — Connecticut  more  mild 46,  47.  34 

1638  Rhode  Island  begun — New  Haven  also 48.  43 

Harvard  College  founded — Providence  government 50 

1639  Province  of  Maine  granted. 

Baptist  church  at  Providence — Baptists  elsewhere. ...  50,  51 

1640  Coddington^s  changes 49.  71 

1641  Account  of  Knollys 51,  52 

1642  Pawtuxet  difficulties 55,  .56 

1643  The  colonies  confederate 56 

Gorton  and  others  confined 57 

Miantanimo  killed,  57.— Williams  went  to  Englan4,  51.  59 

1644  A  number  banished,  58. — Williams  gets  a  charter 69 

Exposeth  persecution 61 — 64.  71 

Boston  law  against  Baptists 52,  53 

24T 


248  CHRONOLOGICAL   TABLE. 

PngB 

1645  They  sent  an  agent  to  England 116 

1646  Severity  pleaded  for — Others  for  pure  liberty. ......   6.5 — 67 

1647  Providence  colony — A  view  of  their  leaders 67 — 69 

Extracts  from  Cotton,  53.  61.  63— and  Hooker. . . .   70.  133 

1 648  Owen  for  liberty — Others  for  force 65.  70 

1649  Winthrop  a  good  ruler 72 

1 650  Some  for  oppression 71 — 73 

1651  Cruelty  at  Boston,  73,  75. — A  good  testimony  there. . .     30 
Warwick  sufferings 84.  87 

1652  Baptist  testimonies,  73 — 78. — Letters  about  them  = .   78 — 81 
Johnson,  39,  40.  44.  58.  83,  84.— Cotton  dies 82 

1653  Light  about  baptism — and  about  England 83.  85,  86 

1655  Williams  prevails  here 87 

1656  Massachusetts  requited — Quakers  come  over 88 

1657  Bradford  against  persecution 89 

1658  Quakers  described 89,90 

1659  Some  are  hanged 91 

1660  Conscience  pleaded  for  it 91,  92 

1661  Great  cruelty  in  England 92 

1662  Injustice  about  colony  lines,  103. — Settled  afterwards . .    104 

1663  Swansea  church  formed 93 

1665  Also  one  in  Boston,  who  suffer  much 95,  96 

1667  Neal  spake  for  them 96 

1668  Yet  they  were  banished— Cause  of  it 97,  98 

1 669  Moving  letter  from  England 99—101 

1670  Divisions  about  them 98.  107,  108 

1671  Another  Baptist  church 109 

1672  A  dispute  with  Quakers 105 

1673  Some  Baptists  join  them 106 

Clarke's  character— His  faith 109,  i  10 

1676  Hisdeath Ill,  112 

Indian  war 112—116 

Christian  Indians  described 11 6 — 1 1 9 

1 677  Baptists  still  oppressed 119 

1679  They  increase 121 

1 680  Their  friends  in  England  favour  them ib. 

1682  Piscataqua  affairs 123 

J683  Williams  dies ib. 

1684  Charter  vacated 124 

1686  Great  cruelties  here. 124,  125 

1688  Mather  goes  to  England — His  mind  is  changed 125 

1691  New  charter  given 126 

1692  The  world  above  the  church — Boston  not  so 127 

1697  Declensions  described 128,129 

1700  More  of  it— Testified  against 129,  130.  160,  161 

1701  Episcopal  scheme 130,185 

1705  Attempts  for  lordly  power 131 


CHRONOLOGICAL   TABLE.  ^  %49 

1708     Connecticut  got  it. 131 

17Q9     Churches  corrupted 137 

1710     Norwich  case.  ../.•.. 134.  173 

1714  Queen  removed  in  mercy. ........ ..............    130,131 

1715  Lordly  power  attempted  again. 135 

1716  Again  condemned 135,136 

1718     Boston  ordination 137 

1720  Baptists'  liberality 138,  139 

1721  Revivals  of  religion — Comer  converted 142,  143 

1722  Dartmouth  oppressed 140 

1723  Increase  Mather  dies 141 

1 725  Ministers  try  for  more  power ib. 

1726  Inconsistent  therein ib. 

1727  Great  earthquake. 149 

1728  Pharaoh  imitated 142 

1729  Many  were  imprisoned ib. 

1731  Baptist  ministers  settled 146 

1732  A  new  Baptist  church. 145 

1734     Two  ministers  die 146 

1736     Another  church  formed ib. 

A  great  work  at  Northampton 150 

1738     Callendar  dies,  147. — Of  Congregational  churches 148 

1740  Low  state  of  religion — But  it  was  greatly  revived 151 

1741  It  spread  far,  1 53.— Nature  of  the  work 152,  153 

1742  Laws  against  it,  155,  156.— Edwards  for  it. .    154.160,161 
J 743     Chauncy  against  it,  156. — Condemns  himself. 158 

Finley  persecuted ^ 169,  160 

1744     Violence  against  the  work 162 — 164 

Divisions  caused  by  it 164,  167 

1746     A  new  church  formed,  165. — Whitefield  abused 169 

1746     Robbins  much  more,  171. — Separate  ordinations 165 

1748  Ministers  lose  by  it 172 

1749  Cruel  laws  suspended ib. 

1750  Edwards  cruelly  rejected 168,  169 

1 751  He  is  useful  elsewhere ib. 

1752  Imprisonment  for  taxes 174,  175.  190 

1754  Opposition  abates 178 

1755  Another  earthquake 182 

1756  The  Baptists  increase 177,  178.  180 

1758  Wallingford  division 178—180 

1759  Episcopal  scheme 181 

1741     More  Baptist  churches 182 

1762  Religion  again  revived ib. 

1763  It  spreads  far 182,  183 

1764  A  Baptist  college  begun,  on  liberal  principles 183,  18i 

1765  Haverhill  church  begun    184 

1767     The  tea  act  passed — Episcopalians  stir 186 


250  CHRONOLOGICAL   TABLE. 

Page 

1768     Chauncy  inconsistent 186.196 

1770  Establishments  described 187 

1771  A  drunkard  favoured ib. 

1772  Universalism 188,  189 

1774  Religion  revived  again — New  attempts  for  liberty. .    189.  192 

1775  A  cruel  war  came  on 193 

1776  Union  and  plenty  in  it 194 

1777  An  army  captivated. 

1778  Pepperell  riot 194,  195 

Quakers  divided,  195. — Baptists  united 196 

1779  Baptists  falsely  accused — Oppression  continued  by  it. . .   197 

1780  Conscience  pleaded  for  it ib. 

Christ's  kingdom  described 198 

Baptist  churches  increase. 

1781  Another  army  captivated. 

1782  Peace  proposed. 

1783  It  is  established 204 

Yet  ministers  claimed  a  power  from  England 199 

And  accuse  us  falsely ib. 

1784  Methodism  described — And  other  bishops 200,  201 

1785  Oppression  continued , ,..   200 

1786  Liberty  in  Virginia 203 

1787  New  constitution  formed 204 

1 788  It  is  adopted,  204. — Ministers  inconsistent 205 

1789  Liberty  more  secured 20«) 

1 790  Eastern  and  western  revivals 207,  208 

1791  Manning  dies — But  has  good  successors 209,  210 

1793     Ministerial  power  opened 210,  21 1 

1795  New  oppressions 212 

1796  Others  kind 214 

1798  Newrevivals 214,215 

1799  The  work  extends  far 218 

1800  Virginia  shares  in  it 220 

1801  Vast  numbers  baptized 221 

1802  A  book  against  it— Remarks  thereon 221,  222 

Account  of  South  Carolina — Pennsylvania — New  Jer- 
sey— North  Carolina,  Virginia — Georgia — New  York 
—Kentucky 225—235 

Associations  described 235 — 237 

1804     Number  of  Baptists  in  the  United  States 237 

Late  revivals 238 

Their  likeness  to  the  fathers  of  New  England ib. 

How  infant  baptism  originated ib. 

Happy  change  in  our  government 240 

The  latter-day  glory 244 


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